Malaysia: Malaysians brace for hazy days

CLARISSA CHUNG The Star 2 Aug 19;

PETALING JAYA: With Indonesia battling forests fires in Riau, Malaysians are bracing for a spell of haze and smog.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Jailan Simon said a few regions in Malaysia were already experiencing haze due to the fires in Riau.

According to MetMalaysia, areas such as Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and Penang are affected by the haze.

“The haze is caused by a moderate amount of smog moving from hotspots in the central and southern parts of Sumatra due to the Southwest Monsoon winds, ” he said in a statement to The Star yesterday.

Over the past week, land and forest fires in Riau have resulted in thick smog engulfing Indonesian cities such as Pekanbaru.

Jailan said it is expected that consistent winds will be blowing from the southwest direction for a week.

“As such, a stable atmospheric condition and dry weather is expected to continue. Based on wind patterns, the haze in Peninsular Malaysia is forecasted to continue as long as there are hotspots in Sumatra, ” he said.

He said he hoped it would be a temporary condition, and that MetMalaysia will continue monitoring the weather nationwide and channel information to the relevant authorities for the next course of action.

“To mitigate the effects of the haze, people are advised to adhere to regulations issued by the authorities to not practise open burning, especially during hot and dry weather.

“They are also advised to follow health guidelines issued by the Health Ministry, ” Jailan said.

Based on data from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre on July 31, MetMalaysia said five hotspots were detected in Peninsular Malaysia, 21 in Sumatra and 38 in Kalimantan.
Four of the hotspots in Malaysia are in Pahang while one is in Johor.

Checks on Malaysia’s Department of Environment (DoE) website showed that Klang and Rompin, Pahang yesterday saw the Air Pollution Index (API) dip above 100 to be classified under the ‘Unhealthy’ category.

Rompin, Pahang recorded an API level of about 104 while Johan Setia, Klang saw levels up to 110.

Other areas with relatively high API levels are Nilai, Negri Sembilan (89), Cheras (85) and Putrajaya (85).

In a statement yesterday, the DoE attributed the smog to transborder haze due to forest fires in Indonesia, and said it had stepped up efforts to monitor and clamp down on open burning through the use of drones.

It warned land owners to be vigilant in ensuring that no trespassers practise open burning on their land.

According to the Health Ministry guidelines on haze, people are advised to reduce outdoor activities and wear three-ply face masks if they have to be outdoors.

Malaysians are advised to ensure the air in their houses and buildings are clean, and to reduce smoking.

When in the car, air-conditioners should be set to the re-circulation mode so that only clean air inside the car will be circulated.

People are also advised to drink lots of water and to wash their hands and face after any outdoor activity.


Activists: We must not fan Indonesian forest fires
CLARISSA CHUNG The Star 2 Aug 19;

PETALING JAYA: As the forest fires in Sumatra rage on, Malaysian activists are calling on the people to be more aware of protecting the environment.

Indonesian authorities have declared an emergency in six provinces in Sumatra and have deployed military and police personnel to combat the forest fires.
The six are Riau, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Jambi, South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said Malaysians needed to follow the latest news on the forest fires closely.

She said that in the long term, member countries should review and prioritise the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP).

The Malaysian government, she said, needed to be strict with this as it involved the health of Malaysians.

"Taking temporary measures, such as cloud seeding every time there is haze will not be sufficient, " she said.

Eco-tourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (Ecomy) co-founder and chief executive officer Andrew Sebastian said: "We should take Indonesia to task. The Indonesian president has made policies to stop open burning in his country."

He said at home, the Malaysian government should be strict and vigilant with open burning that occurred locally.

"We have to start penalising heavily the industries that pollute the air and we need to remind members of public to report when they see instances of open burning, " he said.

Pertubuhan Pelindungan Khazanah Alam Malaysia’s Selangor chairman Damien Thanam Divean said while Indonesia had clamped down on illegal burning activities, it might remain a challenge to prevent forest fires.

"The Indonesian government has given assurance that transborder haze to neighbouring countries will be controlled.

"However, with climate change and irregular monsoon in the region, they are having difficulties predicting forest fires or sending out immediate response to any remote location with hotspots, " he said.

He also warned that local factories and plantations could use the transborder haze as a cover to start their own open burning.

News reports indicate that the forest fires are taking place in regions that produce oil palm and rubber.

The situation was similar to the haze in 2015, which was attributed to illegal burning to clear land for plantations.

The haze had, at the time, also shrouded Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Indonesia has since then clamped down on illegal burning activities, with president Joko Widodo ordering a ban on new permits for palm oil plantations.

He also set up an agency dedicated to restoring more than two million hectares of peatland, in a bid to prevent wildfires in the area.


People advised to be careful over haze
The Star 1 Aug 19;

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Following the emergence of the haze in several areas of the country caused by forest fires in Indonesia, the Ministry of Health has advised the people to cut down on outdoor physical activities.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said such activities would increase breathing and metabolism rates, which would lead to haze and hot weather-related illnesses.

He also urged the people to wear face masks and use umbrellas, as well as wear caps when outdoors.

"Close all house windows and keep the house clean, as well as reduce indoor air pollution by not smoking, " he said in a statement here on Thursday (Aug 1).

Dr Noor Hisham also advised people to drink plenty of water and to seek immediate treatment if they are not well.

Dr Noor Hisham said the public could obtain information on measures to reduce the effects of haze and hot weather through the ministry's websites at https://www.infosihat.gov.my/index.php/isu-semasa/51-jerebu, http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/183 and http://www.myhealth.gov.my/cuaca-panas-a-kesihatan/.

Meteorological Department said the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and western Sarawak began to experience the haze on Thursday due to the forest fires in six provinces in Indonesia.

The haze will have an effect on the weather in Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan and Putrajaya in the peninsula and Kuching, Serian and Samarahan in Sarawak, it said. - Bernama


Brace for haze, forest fires in Indonesia
Teh Athira Yusof New Straits Times 1 Aug 19;

KUALA LUMPUR: The public has been advised to reduce physical activities and stay indoors following reports of “unhealthy” Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in several areas in the country.

These are some of the precautionary measures listed down by the Health Ministry for those affected by the ensuing haze, as reported by the Malaysia Meteorological Department (Met Malaysia).

Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement said public should be aware of the air quality readings in their areas and adopt measures advised by the ministry.

He said Met Malaysia reported that several states in the country were expected to experience haze for a week starting today due to the forest fires in five districts in Indonesia.

“As of 3pm today, the Air Pollutant Index (API) for the country is at a moderate level while two areas recorded unhealthy readings in Johan Setia, Selangor and Rompin, Pahang, where burning was spotted in these two areas.

“The public are advised to be aware of the changes in the air quality reading of their areas. As safety measures, the ministry advises those who are in the areas with unhealthy air quality readings to follow preventive steps to ensure the haze condition will not affect their health,” he said.

Apart from reducing physical activities and wearing face masks outdoors, the public are also urged to close their windows to minimise the effects of haze, turn on air condition while driving, stay hydrated, shower frequently, avoid wearing thick, tight-fitting or dark coloured clothes and seek help immediately if they don’t feel well.

For more information, visit www.infosihat.gov.my/index.php/isu-semasa/51-jerebu, www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/183 and www.myhealth.gov.my/cuaca-panas-a-kesihatan/.

Haze descends on Kuala Terengganu
Rosli Zakaria New Straits Times 2 Aug 19;

KUALA TERENGGANU: A light haze has descended on the city, as the air pollution index (API) reading here rose to 115 as of noon today, compared to 112 at 8am.

The Department of Environment said it expects the reading to rise further as the day progresses.

Despite the air pollution, local residents flocked to the iconic new Terengganu Drawbridge, which was open to the public yesterday, for the chance to take pictures.

“It is slightly hazy, but the conditions did not prevent me from taking my family for a walkabout along the beach near the drawbridge,” said Adali Mohamed, a teacher from Kuala Berang in Hulu Terengganu.