PETALING JAYA: Selangor recorded the highest number of monitoring stations with unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in Peninsular Malaysia, with six stations recording unhealthy levels.
According to the Air Pollutant Index Management System, Johan Setia recorded the highest reading at 158, followed by Shah Alam (156), Petaling Jaya (150), Banting (141), Klang (118) and Kuala Selangor (112) as of 6pm yesterday.
The Department of Environment (DOE) said the situation occurred amid continued dry weather in parts of the southern Asean region.
DOE deputy director-general (development) Azuri Azizah Saedon said the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre detected 865 hotspots in Kalimantan, 16 in Sumatra and six in Malaysia as of Sept 19, all of them in Sarawak.
“Moderate to thick smoke plumes were observed from clusters of hotspots detected in several areas in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra.
“Moderate transboundary haze from Kalimantan was observed moving towards western Sarawak and southern Sabah, while haze from southern Sumatra and Kalimantan was also moving towards Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia,” she said in a statement issued yesterday.
In Sarawak, unhealthy readings were recorded at IPD Serian (178), Samarahan (167), Kuching (163), Sri Aman (156), Bintulu (155), Miri (154), Sibu (154), Samalaju (149), Limbang (123) and ILP Miri (111), while Politeknik Kota Kinabalu in Sabah recorded 157.
By 6pm, unhealthy API readings were also recorded in Putrajaya (162) and several areas in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Pahang.
Negri Sembilan recorded unhealthy readings at Nilai (163) and Port Dickson (138), while Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur recorded 135.
In Melaka, Bukit Rambai (154), Bandaraya Melaka (152) and Alor Gajah (106) recorded unhealthy readings, while Balok Baru and Indera Mahkota in Kuantan, Pahang, recorded 118 and 103, respectively.
In Johor, unhealthy readings were recorded at Segamat (156), Batu Pahat (155), Tangkak (155) and Larkin (151).
Meanwhile, 24 other stations recorded moderate API readings of between 51 and 100, while six stations – Besut in Terengganu; Sungai Petani, Alor Setar and Langkawi in Kedah; Tanah Merah in Kelantan; and Kangar in Perlis – recorded good readings of 50 and below.
Azuri said the DOE would continue to monitor fire risks and strengthen enforcement through inspections and patrols at agricultural areas, peatlands, plantations and landfill sites, as well as locations at risk of open burning.
“The department will not compromise on open burning caused by human activities,” she said.
Under the existing haze management mechanism, the National Disaster Management Agency may activate the Disaster Management Committee if API readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours.
