KUALA LUMPUR: The Environment Department (DOE) has intensified monitoring of open burning with over 3,000 investigations conducted nationwide so far this year.
In a statement Thursday (May 28), the DOE said it conducted 3,237 investigations related to open burning between Jan 1 and April 30 this year.
"This includes 494 hotspots that were detected and suspected of burning activities," the department said.
During this period, the use of technology was strengthened through 409 drone flights for strategic monitoring and surveillance of environmental pollution.
The drones were used to assist the department during investigations and enforcement efforts.
The DOE also received 6,252 environmental pollution complaints during the first four months of 2026, with each case investigated.
Based on these inspections, the department conducted 3,149 follow-ups and carried out enforcement actions against non-compliant parties.
The DOE issued 1,587 instruction notices, 1,369 compounds, 44 equipment operation detentions and two licence suspensions.
It also issued 18 prohibition orders and 129 investigation papers for prosecution purposes.
"There have also been 148 offences settled in court, with convictions leading to total fines of RM4,598,500 and one day's imprisonment," the statement added.
Continued efforts are being carried out to strengthen enforcement of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to ensure environmental sustainability, it said.
From Jan 1 to April 30, the department implemented various enforcement operations nationwide.
These involved inspections of the industrial sector, development projects, vehicle emissions and monitoring to prevent open burning.
A total of 5,074 inspections were carried out on 4,339 premises subject to the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
These included crude palm oil mills, natural rubber mills, scheduled waste recovery facilities and sewage treatment plants.
The department also carried out 1,906 enforcement operations involving inspections of 137,722 vehicles nationwide.
Actions taken included issuing compounds, vehicle use prohibition orders and 764 re-test instructions to ensure compliance with smoke emission standards.
For development projects, the DOE carried out 811 inspections on projects that have received Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.
In efforts to curb the illegal entry of scheduled waste, 51 operations were carried out at the country's main ports.
These involved the inspection of 702 containers, of which 427 were found to contain scheduled waste, including electrical and electronic waste (e-waste).
The DOE issued 73 direction notices ordering the containers to be sent out of Malaysia, with 53 successfully returned to their countries of origin.
The department emphasised that it will not compromise with any party that pollutes the environment or fails to comply with the law.
