Haze: Moderate air quality in several areas

Thirty-one areas nationwide recorded moderate Air Pollutant Index (API) reading as at 8 am today, with the highest reading of 88 in Port Klang.

According to the website of the Department of Environment (DOE), the area with moderate API reading are Shah Alam (84), Banting (80), Kuala Selangor (77), Putrajaya (76), Petaling Jaya (74), Indera Mahkota, Kuantan (73), Nilai, Batu Muda and Cheras (71) and Kuching (70).

An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.

Members of the public can refer to the portal apims.doe.gov.my to obtain the current API reading.

Yesterday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the situation was influenced by transboundary haze due to land and forest fires in central Sumatra brought by the Southwest Monsoon winds.

According to reports from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre based in Singapore yesterday, the number of hotspots in Indonesia had been increasing since several days ago, with 48 hotspots identified in Sumatra and 49 in Kalimantan.