Jerebu rentas sempadan jejas Sarawak dibawa ke Asean

The issue of border dispute smoke in Sarawak needs to be further discussed at the Asean level through the Regional Ministerial Leaders' Council on Smoke Pollution from Border Disputes Smoke, according to Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas. The Ministry of Indigenous Resources and Natural Environment, representing Malaysia at the relevant council, will propose solutions to tackle the issue.

"We must be cautious as an area like Kuala Baram, if a forest fire occurs, its smoke could descend upon Brunei...so all issues related to this will be discussed at this council before being forwarded to the relevant ministries," Uggah told Bernama after attending the State Talent Festival Presentation Ceremony in Kuching. Regarding this, Uggah, who is also the chairman of Sarawak's State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN), said his office has sent a request for smoke plume dispersal operations and is investigating the appropriate timing for such operations.

Earlier today, he reportedly said the smoke dispersal initiative was taken to address the prolonged heatwave and dry spell that could potentially exacerbate water supply sources and worsen the smoke situation in certain areas. Since August 8, border dispute smoke has affected several regions in Sarawak following a weather pattern that carried heat haze from nearby hotspots to our country.

The areas recording the Air Pollution Index (API) in the 'very unhealthy' category include Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Bintulu, Samalaju, and Miri.