KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hopes to be ready for any eventualities, including the haze, in view of the expected dry spell from June to September, with the help of relevant government agencies.
According to a statement from the ministry, the National Haze Committee that was formed and the relevant agencies have been directed to prepare for any eventualities. The agencies will work with the police, Road Transport Department, Department of Agriculture, RELA and the Fire and Rescue Department.
Apart from these agencies and department’s the ministry would also seek the cooperation of commercial airlines like Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Air Asia to report on open burning.
The statement added that a pilot project had also been initiated between Malaysia and Indonesia with the expertise of the Global Environment Centre to ensure sustainable management of peat to reduce the risk of peat fire in Rokan Hilir and Riau in Indonesia.
The statement added that in many parts of the country, the quality of air had dropped while the Air Pollution Index (API) recorded was between 51 and 100, causing slight hazy conditions.
According to the Meteorological Department of Malaysia yesterday, Prai, Bayan Lepas (Penang), Subang, Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Melaka and Kuantan (Pahang), had experienced a drop in visibility (between 6km and 9km).
The Department Of Environment (DOE) would continue to monitor the situation and API throughout the country said the statement.
The ministry advised the public to refrain from any open burning activities and urged those who came across small fires or open burning, to report immediately to the Fire and Rescue Department at 03-88880036 or the DOE at 1-800-88-2727.
In the past 10 years, fires have burnt over 2 million hectares of peatlands in Indonesia and peatland fires were responsible for the majority of haze which regularly engulfed Malaysia.– BERNAMA