KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings were recorded in 36 areas in Malaysia as of 10pm, with the remaining 32 logging moderate scores, amid continuous dry weather in the region and the movement of transboundary haze.
The Environment Department (DOE) said the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected 210 hotspots in Sumatera and 94 in Kalimantan, Indonesia, as well as one in Pahang.
“Medium to thick cross-border haze was seen (as of 3pm) in the south and central Sumatera, Singapore, and the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia as well as several areas in Kalimantan,” DOE said in a statement today.
The highest API reading at 10pm was 188 in Negeri Sembilan’s Seremban and Johor’s Segamat, followed by Negeri Sembilan’s Nilai (184), and Melaka’s Bukit Rambai and Johor’s Kluang (178).
In Selangor, Johan Setia had the highest API score at 177, followed by Shah Alam (172), Banting (171), Petaling Jaya (168), and Klang (164), with the only moderate reading in Kuala Selangor (95).
DOE clarified that integrated measures under the National Haze Action Plan include suspending outdoor activities at schools should API readings exceed 100, and that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) would activate cloud-seeding operations when API readings exceed 150 for over 24 hours.
It also reminded the public not to conduct open burning in the current hot and dry weather, and warned that those found guilty could be fined between RM25,000 and RM1 million, jailed up to five years, or both.
