Angkasa mulling on creating Light Pollution Act

The National Space Agency (Angkasa) is considering the creation of the Light Pollution Act to control light pollution in the country, said its director-general, Dr Noordin Ahmad.

He said Angkasa was currently providing the guideline on the matter in collaboration with the local authorities responsible for regulating the spillover of light caused by urban development.

"We certainly need this act and currently, Angkasa is collaborating with the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Public Works Department (PWD) because lights in buildings and street lights are under their supervision.

"We are also raising awareness to these agencies on the light pollution caused by building and street lights," he told Bernama after attending the premiere screening of the film "To Space and Back" and the Earth Hour celebration at the National Planetarium, here today.

According to Noordin, light pollution in the country had just entered the serious stage and if not properly handled, it could affect the country's astronomy field.

"Observation work in the observatory at the National Planetarium is now affected as a result of the severe light pollution in Kuala Lumpur city.

"At the National Planetarium, the effect to the astronomers here is significant resulting in our observatory not functioning fully and forcing us to build an observatory on Pulau Langkawi in 2006 to overcome the light pollution problem.

He said the observatory known as the Langkawi National Observatory (LNO) would also be affected if there were no controls in terms of formulating the act, ordinance or guidelines.