The Star 21 Jun 13;
THE haze in Malaysia has once again reached dangerous levels.
It has now left only 13% of the country with good air to breathe while many schools in Johor have closed as Malaysians there took in the worst of it, so far.
Yesterday, four areas in the state entered the “hazardous” and “very unhealthy” scales of the Air Pollutant Index (API).
Poor visibility at the Senai International Airport also forced two flights to be diverted.
In Kuala Lumpur, this Sunday’s planned 2013 Olympic Day Run for 15,000 participants at Padang Merbok has been postponed, the co-organisers McDonald’s Malaysia said.
The Department of Environment (DOE) said the country was on high alert due to the rapid deterioration in air quality over the past three days. It has alerted the National Security Council to activate the National Haze Action Plan nationwide, with a “3A Warning Level” (the highest level) issued for the worst-affected areas.
The DOE has also stepped up enforcement on the emission of smoke from vehicles and factories.
Only 13% of the areas in the country recorded “good” API levels yesterday, while the air quality in 78% of the country has dropped to “moderate”.
The DOE website showed that 7% of the country had fallen into the “unhealthy” status.
The DOE has contacted its counterpart in Indonesia, urging the country to take urgent action to control the peat and forest fires in the Riau district of central Sumatra in Riau which had sparked the haze, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said.
A map issued by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre showed the movement of the thick haze from areas in Riau, with strong winds from the South-West carrying the haze to the West Coast and East Coast of Malaysia.
Within our borders, the map also showed 83 hot spots detected, with 70 found in Sarawak, six in Kelantan, two in Pahang and one spot each in Selangor, Malacca, Sabah and Terengganu,
Yesterday, Muar in Johor recorded a “hazardous” API of 383 at 11am, while at 5pm, Pasir Gudang had also fallen into the same category at 333.
The haze also hit Malacca with the state capital and Bukit Rambai recording “unhealthy” API readings of 137 and 119 respectively.
API readings between 51 to 100 are considered moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and anything above 301 is considered hazardous. The worst API reading in memory was in 1997, where a state of emergency was declared in Kuching after its API reached 839.
Yesterday, only several locations in Perak, Kedah and Perlis retained a “Good” API reading.
In Singapore, where the API showed 371 at 1pm yesterday, The Straits Times reported a senior Indonesian Minister as hitting out in response to the island nation’s criticism over the haze.
“Singapore shouldn’t be like children, in such a tizzy,” Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono, who is coordinating his country’s relief and response effort, said.
“It’s not what Indonesians want. It’s nature,” he added.
Indonesia has yet to ratify an Asean agreement in 2002 on Transboundary Haze Pollution although it says it is in full compliance with what is required and what is expected
Haze Returns To 'Envelope' Malaysia
Zulkiple Ibrahim Bernama 21 Jun 13;
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- Recently, civil servant Hazeman Hassan of Bandar Tasik Puteri in Rawang, near here, told his wife not to allow their four-year-old son to play outdoors.
"If possible, you too should not spend too much time outside the house as the air outside is unhealthy," he reminded his wife.
Last June 16, Malaysia was shrouded in haze as a result of forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia, leading to unhealthy levels of pollution in some parts of the country.
According to the Department of Environment (DOE), the Air Pollutant Index (API) last Sunday had showed the reading of over 100 in four locations in the Peninsula.
Melaka was badly hit by haze, with the API reading of 161, followed by Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan at 120, Kemaman in Terengganu (108) and Port Klang in Selangor (103).
Last Sunday, six other locations recorded API levels of less than 100.
They are Putrajaya (94), Kuala Lumpur (87), Petaling Jaya (86), Johor Baharu (80), Ipoh (72) and George Town (64).
HAZE
What is haze all about?
According to environmentalists, haze is a phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles in the atmosphere diminish visibility.
According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, haze occurs every year during the monsoon season from May to September as winds blow smoke across the Melaka Straits, from 'hot spots' in Sumatra to Malaysia.
According to the DOE Director-General Halimah Hassan, the department had detected 46 hotspots in Sumatra via satellite images last Sunday.
API of 101-200 is considered unhealthy, while 51-100 is moderate. If the reading is below 50, it means that the air is healthy.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has advised the public to reduce the time spent outdoors. He also urged the public to drink plenty of water.
The Prime Minister wrote on his Facebook page that health should remain the public's top priority, adding that the haze situation in Malaysia is expected to become worse in the coming days with winds carrying smoke from hot spots in Sumatra, Indonesia, to Malaysia.
OPEN BURNING
Haze, caused by fires in Indonesia, builds up during the dry season, affecting tourism and contributing to health problems across the region.
Malaysia has regulations against open burning while Indonesia has forbidden people from burning land.
Between 1997 and 1998, Southeast Asia was badly hit by haze. During that time, the tourism sector, including air travel, and other business activities were affected. Countries in the region lost approximately US$9.0 billion (RM28.5 billion) because of the disruptions.
Medical authorities have also advised people in the high risk group such as the elderly, children and those with respiratory problems such as asthma to stay indoors and to wear face masks when outdoors.
Physicians have advised people who have breathing difficulties, fever, nausea, dizziness, eye irritation or cough to seek medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Marine Police has advised fishermen in small boats to refrain from going out to sea as visibility in the Straits of Melaka is poor.
According to the Marine Police, "All vessels plying the Melaka Straits should take precautions and navigate with utmost care, while fishing trawlers must switch on their lights for their own safety and for the safety of other vessels."
-- BERNAMA
Haze: Air quality in Johor the worst in years, haze-related health complaints increase
Florence A. Samy and Christina Tan The Star 20 Jun 13;
PETALING JAYA: Air quality deteriorated rapidly overnight with Muar in Johor hitting hazardous levels for the first time with an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of above 380, according to the Department of Environment (DOE).
This is the first time in years that air quality has dipped to hazardous level with conditions worsening in as dry weather persists and fires rage in Sumatra.
At 7am, the API was at 337 but it deteriorated to 383 just several hours later at 11am Thursday. A good API reading is from 0-50, moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-299) and hazardous (300 and above).
The air quality also worsened in Kota Tinggi which now records very unhealthy levels with an API of 232 as of 11am while Pasir Gudang had an API reading of 199.
As of 5pm Wednesday, seven areas recorded unhealthy, 39 moderate and five good air quality readings, but there were no very unhealthy or hazardous readings.
Aqua satellite images show 376 hotspots over Sumatra while the NOAA satellite shows 173 hotspots, with cloud cover preventing precise readings.
According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre, scattered hotspots with localised smoke plumes were detected mainly in central Sumatra.
"Moderate to dense smoke haze was detected over Riau province and spreading across the Malacca Straits.
"Scattered hotspot activities were also detected over Borneo due to prevailing dry weather conditions."
There are about 150 hotspots in Borneo, according to satellite images.
Meanwhile in BATU PAHAT, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and even Chinese medicine shops are getting more patients as the haze situation in the district worsens.
Private practitioner Dr King Ban Siang said more patients at his clinic were complaining of respiratory tract issues, sore throats and coughing.
He said worst-affected patients were children and those with asthmatic problems.
"Those with respiratory tract diseases increased about 20% to 30%.
"Some complained that the haze this time is worst as the air is not only cloudy, but also carries ashes and fine particles," he said, and also advised the public to cover their food.
Pantai Hospital consultant physician Dr Ho Lee Ming said the hospital treated 39 outpatients cases from Jun 16 to 19 and eight inpatient cases at present due to upper respiratory tract infection.
Dr Ho also advised members of public to cut down on outdoor activities, take plenty of fluids, wear masks and to seek advice from doctors immediately if they had difficulty breathing.
Chinese medicine shop assistant Pua Zhi Hao said more people were buying herbal teas to sooth sore throats and relieve coughs.
"Almost all of our customers the past few days are looking for herbs for respiratory system complaints," he said.
A pharmacist who declined to be named said their stock of masks had been depleted.
"We are out of stock at the moment. Sales of Vitamin C and fever reduction (medication) will also go up every time the haze comes," she added.
Call for permanent solution to haze threat
New Straits Times 20 Jun 13;
HAZARDOUS: Minister to meet Indonesian counterpart to discuss various measures
THE haze situation took a predictable turn for the worse by engulfing Johor and its immediate neighbour, Singapore, prompting environmentalists to demand for a permanent solution to the annual health catastrophe.
While Malacca and Negri Sembilan were also badly affected, it was Johor that took the hardest hit with the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in Muar and Pasir Gudang shooting past the hazardous level of 300, Muar recorded the highest reading of 383 at 11am and Pasir Gudang with 333 at 5pm.
Two other areas, Kota Tinggi and Larkin Lama, recorded 291 and 219 respectively at 5pm.
API readings of 0 to 50 are considered good, followed by moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-300) and hazardous (past 300).
The health hazard forced the authorities to close all 221 schools in Muar and Ledang for two days. A similar directive was also given to shut down all schools in Batu Pahat.
The decision was made by the state education department after many students reportedly faced breathing difficulties.
More schools may follow suit, with Education director-general Tan Sri Abdul Ghafar Mahmud saying yesterday that all schools in areas recording a reading of more than 300 would automatically be closed.
Ghafar said in cases where the API breached 150, schools must halt all outdoor activities which involved students with high risk.
"If it is to reach 250 or more, then the school should stop all co-curricular and outdoor activities.
"Any school located in areas with an API exceeding 300 should be shut down immediately, after which the school authorities are required to report to the District Education Office (PPD) and the National Registration Department (JPN)," he said in a statement yesterday.
Ghafar urged school authorities to constantly monitor and keep tabs on the haze situation from credible sources such as the media and the Department of Environment's website.
"Students are advised to wear masks, while school authorities are urged to seek immediate medical attention for students found to be ill.
"The ministry has opened an operations room to monitor the phenomenon."
The Johor Health Deparment yesterday issued a reminder for the public, especially children and the elderly, to limit heir outdoor activities and seek immediate treatment for breathing difficulties.
State director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub said all API reading stations in Johor had showed unhealthy readings since Saturday.
In Malacca, state Health and Sports Department Development exco Datuk Ab Rahaman Ab Karim said government hospitals and clinics across the state had seen a sudden influx of patients seeking medical attention for haze-related illnesses, with a jump of 2,781 patients since Monday.
Department of Environment director-general Halimah Hassan said it had alerted National Security Council (MKN) to activate the haze management coordination committee in badly affected areas.
"The call for activation of the committee was in line with the National Haze Action Plan and it will be first carried out in Kota Tinggi and Muar as these places continue to show readings at worrying level," she said in a statement yesterday.
She added 83 hot spots were detected nationwide, with Sarawak recording 70. This was followed by Kelantan with six, Pahang (two), and Selangor, Malacca, Sabah and Terengganu with one each.
Halimah said that a report by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre also revealed the number of hot spots in Sumatra, Indonesia, decreased slightly to 173 yesterday from the previous 187 spots recorded on Wednesday.
Malacca city centre and Bukit Rambai in Malacca also recorded increases in API readings with 150 and 129 respectively.
In the Klang Valley, several areas, including Putrajaya, Pelabuhan Klang, Kuala Selangor and Petaling Jaya, recorded moderate readings.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he would meet his Indonesian counterpart, Professor Dr Balthasar Kambuaya on June 26 with Halimah to discuss measures to handle the haze condition affecting the region.
Two flights diverted due to poor visibility
The Star 21 Jun 13;
JOHOR BARU: Poor visibility at the Senai International Airport here forced two flights to be diverted to Kuala Lumpur.
A Firefly aircraft from Subang Airport, which was scheduled to land in Senai at around 11.30am yesterday, was forced to return to Subang.
An AirAsia plane from Sibu, slated to land here at about 1.30pm, had to be redirected to the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang.
“We are not taking any risks as the visibility at the airport was about 400m at 11am, and could pose a risk to passengers,” a Senai Airport spokesman said.
He said there were no problems for flights taking off and landing at the airport before 11am as the visibility was about 3,000m.
However, most of the flights going out from, or coming into the Senai Airport, had to be retimed or delayed due to the haze.
Meanwhile, at Johor Port in Pasir Gudang, vessels were moving as usual despite the area recording one of the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in the country.
Yesterday’s reading at the port was 333, which was deemed “hazardous”.
A port spokesman said the vessels did not face any problems as they were equipped with navigation systems which allowed them to operate effectively even if visibility was poor.
“However, we will monitor the situation to ensure smooth sailing for vessels entering and leaving our port area,” he added.
The spokesman also said the port’s Health and Safety Department had started distributing face masks to between 500 and 600 workers.
Muar marine police chief Asst Supt Nordin Osman said visibility in the Malacca Straits was still low and advised the captains of all vessels to be on the alert when plying the waterway.
“The weather can turn very hazy at night and we urge fishermen to be very careful if they go out to sea at night,” he added.
In Sepang, Malaysia Airports senior general manager (operation services) Datuk Azmi Murad said flight frequencies at the KL International Airport (KLIA) were unaffected so far.
“There have not been any disruption, but we are working with the airlines to monitor the situation,” he said.
“In the past, we have had some flight cancellations (because of haze), but they were all due to the situation at destination airports, and not at KLIA,” he said.
“It all depends on how bad the haze situation is, but so far it has not affected our operations.”
Azmi said KLIA handled an average 900 landings and take-offs daily.
Cases of flu, cough and cold on the rise
The Star 21 Jun 13;
JOHOR BARU: Hospitals and clinics here are reporting a spike in cases of flu, cough and cold.
State Health Department director Dr Mohd Khairy Yaakub said there was a 20% increase in patients who visited hospitals and clinics here due to upper respiratory tract illnesses.
“Smokers who light up during this hazy weather will only make the situation worse,” he said.
He added that smokers not only increased their chances of falling ill but their actions would also cause more pollutants in the air.
Dr Mohd Khairy added that other vulnerable groups included children and those suffering from breathing problems.
“Residents should refrain from going outdoors and those who are forced to go outdoors should wear masks and long-sleeved clothing to protect their skin from the dirty particles in the air.
“We have not recorded an increase in conjunctivitis or asthma as yet,” he said. “However, those prone to such illnesses should also take extra precautions and always wear masks,” he said.
Malacca to have health curfew if API gets worse
The Star 21 Jun 13;
MALACCA: Malacca is to impose a health curfew if the air pollutant index (API) readings exceed the “hazardous” level.
State Housing, Local Government and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ar Ismail Othman said schools in the state were told to cancel all outdoor activities after API readings reached 150 at 5pm on Wednesday.
“We are monitoring the situation,” he said yesterday.
“A health curfew will be declared once the API breaches the hazardous level.”
State Health and Sports Development Committee chairman Datuk Ab Rahaman Ab Karim said 355 cases of respiratory and eye ailments were registered on Wednesday, compared to 247 on Tuesday and 159 on Monday
11 monitoring stations set up in southern states
The Star 21 Jun 13;
GEORGE TOWN: With the air quality hitting “hazardous” levels in the southern states of the peninsula, the Health Ministry has set up 11 monitoring stations in Johor and Malacca.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the move had become necessary due to the worsening Air Pollutant Index (API) reading.
“The situation is getting serious in the southern states, reaching an API reading of above 200,” he said after visiting Balik Pulau Hospital yesterday. “The people are advised to stay at home or wear masks when going outside.”
On a separate issue, Dr Hilmi said the ministry would set aside RM20mil to upgrade the emergency ward, outpatient unit and mortuary at Balik Pulau Hospital.
Two new operating theatres would also be built.
“The outpatient unit would be moved to the Air Putih Health Clinic,” he said.
“Currently, patients with emergency cases have to be sent to the Penang Hospital, and due to traffic congestion, this can sometimes take up to 30 minutes,” Dr Hilmi said.
“These situations cannot be neglected, hence, upgrading work will begin next year,” he said. “It will take at least two years to complete.”
More than 200 schools closed
The Star 21 Jun 13;
JOHOR BARU: Smoky haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia has caused many parts of Johor to be heavily smogged, triggering a scare that has led to more than 200 schools in Muar and Ledang being closed.
In these districts, the air pollution index (API) reached a hazardous high of 383 by evening.
State education director Mohd Nor A. Ghani said the closure affected more than 76,940 primary and secondary students.
He said all schools in the state had earlier been directed to close if the API reached 300.
“We will update parents through circulars to the schools and the media on the situation,” he said, adding that those schools where the API was still tolerable have been instructed not to conduct any outdoor activities for the time being.
Mohd Nor said most of the schools in the areas where the air quality is bad are located along the coast.
“We have received reports of students experiencing watery eyes and breathing difficulties, so we are acting before the situation gets worse,” he said.
Muar education officer Ahmad Othman said a circular was sent out to all 211 primary schools here and in Ledang when the API read 300.
He said those who had gone to school in the morning were allowed to stay until their classes ended but those in the afternoon session were told to stay away.
He said the schools would be re-opened when the API reading dipped below 300.
The latest API readings yesterday showed Pasir Gudang and Batu Pahat as the next most hazardous spots in Johor with API readings of 333 and 300, respectively. API readings were 291 in Kota Tinggi and 219 in Larkin Lama.
Seventy primary and 35 secondary schools in Pasir Gudang have also been directed to close today. .
In BATU PAHAT, the district education department instructed all schools to close for two days when the API touched 300 yesterday.
At SJK (C) Ai Chun (2), many teachers stood outside the school building to inform parents dropping their children off for the afternoon session about the situation.
Headmaster Ho Weng Tack said the school in Jalan Mohd Khalid received the instruction from the district office at about noon.
SJK (C) Hwa Jin headmistress Tan Seow Tin said the school had advised parents to prepare additional masks for their children as schools were short of masks. Batu Pahat Chinese Primary School Heads Council chairman Heng Hock Teng said the 38 Chinese primary schools in the district had been told to stop all extra curricular and outdoor activities earlier this week.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Education Ministry director-general Tan Sri Abd Ghafar Mahmud said schools had been given the discretion to close immediately once the API reading reached the hazardous level.
He said the National Haze Action Plan had been amended to allow the ministry to take necessary actions to safeguard the health of the schoolchildren in areas affected by the haze.
“The school authorities have to constantly monitor the haze situation by checking the API reading available on the department of environment website,” Abd Ghafar said in a statement.
Firemen having a tough time fighting peat fires near Klang
Teh Eng Hock The Star 21 Jun 13;
KLANG: The authorities are having a hard time putting out peat fires because the soil re-ignites the fires within a day of being put out.
Their task is made harder when there are few sources of water nearby, whether natural or piped.
For instance, there are more than 1,600ha of peat land in Johan Setia, near here, and peat fires are a seasonal occurrence.
Municipal councillor Azmizam Zaman Huri said more than 1,200ha of the area were agricultural land.
The Klang Municipal Council (MPK), the Fire and Rescue Department and the Department of Environment are keeping a close watch.
The council has deployed three paragliders to monitor the huge area from the air.
Twenty-two firemen and nine MPK personnel were working hard to put out peat fires in four locations covering about 5.6ha on Tuesday.
Two sites are situated next to housing areas. Another location is without any water source.
Azmizam said the land was dry, resulting in the fire re-igniting within a day or two after it had been put out.
“The smog from the burning spreads to nearby developments such as Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Bandar Puteri and Taman Sentosa,” he said, adding that none of the fires were man-made.
Meanwhile, Andalas Fire and Rescue Department chief Zulkepeli Othman said they had to look for water sources.
“We usually use water from irrigation channels but have to resort to ponds or large puddles of water if left with no choice,” he said.
