Haze persists in Malaysia, three areas at "unhealthy" levels

The returning haze brought on by forest fires in Indonesia continues to blanket Malaysian skies as three areas in the country recorded “unhealthy” air quality this morning.

These three most badly affected area were Johor, Melaka and Selangor.

At 10am, Air Pollution Index (API) readings recorded by the Department of Environment(DOE) was 112 in Muar; 115 in Bukit Rambai; and 104 in Port Klang.

API readings of 50 and below indicate "good, or normal, air quality" and 51 to 100 is considered “moderate”.

Readings of above 100 to 200 are deemed unhealthy; while 201-300 is “very unhealthy” and anything above 300 is considered “hazardous”.

Areas this morning which hovered close to the unhealthy levels included Nilai(90); Banting(93); Kuala Selangor (90); Petaling Jaya (91); Shah Alam(91); Kemaman(94); and Cheras(90).

According to to the Singapore government's Meteorological Service website, which keep track of haze and hotspots via satellite images, there continued to be “scattered hotspots and smoke plumes observed mainly over central Sumatra".

It also reported isolated hotspots in Borneo and Myanmar.

Yesterday, haze returned to envelop several areas in the country, with the DOE stating that the cause of the deteriorating air quality is transboundary haze pollution.

The Meteorological Department reported to have predicted that the smog would spread further inland.

Yesterday evening, a total of five areas recorded an unhealthy air quality, including Bukit Rambai with the highest reading of 122. The other areas were Cheras, Banting, Muar and Bandaraya Melaka.

A report released by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed that the hotspots in Sumatera have increased drastically from 159 to 261.

Hotspots were also detected in Malaysia and the DOE vowed to step up in enforcing local fires.

A statement on the updated haze situation is expected from the DOE later today.

In Indonesia, Bernama yesterday reported that the The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) of Indonesia said, to date, satellite monitoring detected 173 hotspots in Riau.

BNPB also said that 99 per cent of the forest fires were due to deliberate burning.

Following a meeting last week, Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya had said his country hoped to ratify the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, first brokered in 2002.

Indonesia is the only member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which has still not ratified this agreement which aims to stop transboundary haze.