KUCHING: The public, particularly parents, have been urged to avoid outdoor physical activities during the school holidays to protect the health of their children and families amid deteriorating air quality caused by transboundary haze.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh said precautionary and early preventive measures should be taken, particularly for high-risk groups such as children, the elderly and individuals with chronic illnesses and respiratory problems.
“This advice is not only for children but for all of us, especially now that the Air Pollutant Index (API) has reached hazardous levels of between 300 and 400.
“We advise everyone to be cautious and also wear masks, especially those in high-risk groups.
“We strongly advise high-risk groups and the elderly to take the necessary measures or adopt the best approach to safeguard their health by wearing masks and reducing outdoor activities,” he told reporters yesterday, Bernama reported.
The public was also urged to stay alert to official announcements and daily API readings.
Len Talif, who is also Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board deputy chairman, said the upward trend in API readings was caused by hotspots in Kalimantan as well as dry weather conditions, which are expected to persist until the end of the year, putting Sarawak on alert.
“For cloud-seeding operations, as announced previously, we will carry them out in early September.”
