Haze back in some parts of Malaysia

The Star 2 Jul 15;

PETALING JAYA: The air quality has wor­sened slightly in some places in Malaysia.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said that places like the Klang Valley and Nilai had moderate air quality due to small fires at local levels during the hot and dry weather.

As of 11am yesterday, the Air Pollution Index (API) of 15 areas recorded good air quality while another 31 areas had moderate air quality, he said in a statement.

“None of the areas recorded unhealthy air quality,” he said.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said the hazy conditions might worsen in the next two months, if the dry season continued.

“Recent observations show that Malaysia might encounter moderate transboundary haze if the heatwave continues.

Transboundary haze is the movement of haze from one country to another, explains Dr Hisham Mohd Anip, a senior meteorologist from the department’s National Weather Centre.

He said there might be an increase in haze in Malaysia and neighbouring countries, even as far as north Australia, if the dry season progressed.

“Haze is normal in the month of June to August in Malaysia because we are in the southwest monsoon season, which is consi­dered a dry season,” he said.

Observations by the Meteorological Department also indicate that current temperatures are equivalent to a weaker version of the El Nino phenomenon.

“The intensity of this El Nino effect is predicted to increase from weak to moderate so the haze might worsen,” he added.