KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — A total of six areas in Sarawak recorded Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at very unhealthy levels as of 1pm today with Serian recording the highest reading of 287.

Deputy Director-General (Development) of the Department of Environment (DOE) Azuri Azizah Saedon said five other areas in the state that recorded very unhealthy readings were Kuching (267), Sri Aman (251), Samarahan (242), Samalaju (202) and Bintulu (201).

She said 25 areas recorded API readings at unhealthy levels involving Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Sabah, Labuan, Sarawak and Selangor, in addition to 26 areas recording moderate air quality status and 11 areas at good levels.

Azuri Azizah said the situation occurred amid persistent dry weather conditions in parts of the Southern Asean Region.

She said based on the report from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) yesterday, 139 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, Sumatra (138) and Malaysia (16), of which nine were in Sarawak, Sabah (five) and Terengganu (two).

“ASMC also reported that moderate to thick haze was observed moving northeast from Kalimantan to several areas in Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.

“Moderate to thick smoke plumes were also observed in North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan as well as central and southern Sumatra, while moderate haze was observed in Singapore, the southern part of the Peninsula and eastern Java,” he said in a statement today.

In this regard, she said the DOE continued to enhance monitoring and patrols in risky areas including forests, peatlands, landfills, agricultural and plantation areas and industrial areas that could potentially be the source of open burning.

Azuri Azizah said any source of open burning or pollution identified would be investigated and enforcement action would be taken strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law and the jurisdiction of the DOE.

The public is requested to immediately report any fire or open burning incidents to the Fire and Rescue Department via 999 or the DOE toll-free line 1-800-88-2727 to enable immediate action to be taken.

The latest API reading can be consulted through DOE’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) at apims.doe.gov.my website or the MyJAS application. — Bernama