SHAH ALAM, Sept 2 — The Malaysia Day celebration in Kuching, Sarawak, on September 16 will be held indoors due to the haze, said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
He added that the Cabinet was told the haze could affect outdoor activities, with the main Malaysia Day event to take place at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in the evening on September 16.
“The Malaysia Day celebration will not be affected as the event is set to take place indoors and during nighttime.
“The Cabinet was also informed about preparations for a cloud-seeding operation in Sarawak to address the haze, but the operation is subject to the Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) identification of suitable cloud formations,” he said at his weekly press conference at his ministry’s headquarters today.
At 4pm, two areas in Sarawak had hazardous Air Pollutant Index (API) readings — Kuching (309) and IPD Serian (325) — and nearby areas logging very unhealthy readings.
Fahmi also said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup had informed him that current cloud formations are unsuitable for cloud seeding.
“Several groups of clouds that had been identified were found to be unsuitable as wind movements forced these clouds towards the South China Sea,” he added.
Fahmi said the government would continue to monitor the situation and depend on MetMalaysia’s assessment to determine suitable conditions for cloud-seeding operations.
