Sri Aman chokes
Division records unhealthy air quality, worst in the country
Normally, during this period, the country faces prolonged hot weather with most places ge ing more days without rain.
Statement
KUCHING: Haze has caused the air quality in Sri Aman to reach an unhealthy level from 1am yesterday.
According to the Ministry of Environment and Water’s Air Pollutant Index (API), the air quality in Sri Aman was the worst nationwide yesterday.
The API reading in Sri Aman was 105 at 1am, but shot up to 151 at 6am. The reading was 153 between 9am and noon.
In Sarawak, only Kapit recorded good air quality reading, at 38, at noon yesterday.
Other divisions experienced moderate air quality, with API readings between 51 and 100.
A check on the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre website showed major hotspots in West Kalimantan near the Sarawak border.
The southwest monsoon winds are said to have brought haze from these hotspots to the state, resulting in the deterioration of air quality, particularly in southern Sarawak.
A joint statement from the controller of environmental (quality) Peggy Ronin Edin and Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) environmental control senior officer Marinni Khir said that Malaysia is currently in the southwest monsoon phase, which is expected to continue until the middle of September, based on a forecast issued by the Meteorological Department.
“Normally, during this period, the country faces prolonged hot weather with most places ge ing more days without rain.
“During this period, burning and hotspots are expected to occur. These hotspots are expected to spread easily if the dry weather is prolonged and could increase the risk of haze,” it said.
According to the statement, air quality is assessed using the API reading determined by the concentration of fine dust (2.5 microns), which is the dominant pollutant most of the time, especially during haze in Malaysia.
API readings of 0 to 50 indicate good air quality levels, 51 to 100 – moderate, 101 to 200 – unhealthy, 201 to 300 – very unhealthy, and 301 to 500 – hazardous.
The statement further said the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected as many as 185 hotspots in Kalimantan on Aug 8, 262 on Aug 9, 73 on Aug 10, and 99 on Aug 11, while there were five, 17, one, and two hotspots detected in Sarawak on the same dates.
“The API in Tebedu on Aug 9 recorded an unhealthy reading of 132. However, the API reading in Tebedu has shown a downward trend to moderate since Aug 11,” said the statement.
NREB said it had activated its haze operations room, conducted field patrols, and stopped the issuance of open-burning permits to ensure air quality is maintained.
“Nevertheless, all relevant government agencies and the public are advised to be jointly responsible in dealing with the cause and reducing the risk of haze.
“The public is also advised to take some measures when facing periods of hot and dry weather including drinking enough water and reducing outdoor activities and saving water use,” said the statement.
NREB also warned the public against causing air pollution.
Those caught doing open burning could be prosecuted under the provisions of Section 30(1)(a) and Section 30(2) of the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance (Amendment 2019).
If found guilty, offenders could be fined up to RM100,000, or imprisoned for up to five years, or both.
The public can report any open burning to the nearest NREB office or send a WhatsApp message to the NREB Hotline on 013-759 5866, or call 082-319 543.
The confidentiality of the report is guaranteed by Section 38 of the Ordinance under for Protection of Whistle-blowers.