SHAH ALAM, Sept 9 — The current haze situation is only expected to subside following the transition from the Southwest Monsoon at the end of this month, according to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
Its director-general, Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, said the haze is caused by smoke from open burning in neighbouring Indonesia carried by the Southwest Monsoon, which typically occurs from May to September.
“If the source of the smoke is not tackled or eliminated, the haze will not go away and will persist,” he told Media Selangor.
He said the transboundary haze currently affecting Malaysia is mainly caused by forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
He added that cloud seeding operations could help reduce the haze, but their effectiveness is limited if the fires continue to burn.
“Even if it rains, it will only be temporary because if the source of the fires remains, the haze will return.”
Hisham said dry weather conditions also make fires more likely to occur and difficult to control, contributing to prolonged haze.
“It is possible that the weather there (Indonesia) is extremely dry, compounded by the ongoing El Nino, making conditions drier and fires more likely. That is why it is difficult to control when there are too many fires.
“If the fires continue until October or November, the winds will no longer blow from Indonesia towards us because we will have entered a different season. So hopefully, the haze will subside next month.”
Meanwhile, Hisham advised the public against open burning while the haze persists to prevent the situation from worsening.
He also reminded the public to reduce prolonged outdoor activities, particularly when the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches unhealthy levels.
“If you need to be outdoors, wear a face mask and avoid staying outside for too long,” he said.
The haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia has spread to several parts of Southeast Asia, affecting neighbouring countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, as well as the Philippines.
