PETALING JAYA: Five areas nationwide have recorded unhealthy air pollutant index (API) readings, says the Environment Department.
As of 3pm on Sunday (July 20), it said Putrajaya recorded an API of 139; Banting and Johan Setia in Selangor (154 each); Nilai in Negri Sembilan (162); and Alor Gajah in Melaka (110).
Its director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the worsening air quality is influenced by trans-boundary haze affecting the country in the past 24 hours.
He said the National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan had been activated to coordinate agencies' response towards tackling open burning and haze matters.
Under the National Haze Action Plan, he said relevant agencies have various responsibilities to oversee.
This includes the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) activating its disaster management committees at district, state and federal levels should API readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours.
"All outdoor classroom activities will also be halted once the API exceeds 100.
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"All schools, kindergarten and day care centres will be closed once the API reading exceeds 200.
"Respective administrators should monitor the API and make necessary preparations if required to close," he said in a statement on Sunday.
He said cloud seeding would be carried out at areas with API readings exceeding 150 for more than 24 hours.
"This is subject to the presence of clouds and suitable weather conditions," he said.
He also advised landowners to closely monitor areas that can easily catch fire and take measures to ensure no open burning occurs.
Under Section 29(A) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, Wan Abdul Latiff said those convicted of open burning can be fined up to RM1mil or jailed up to five years, or both.
A compound not exceeding 50% of the maximum penalty can also be imposed for each subsequent offence.
