Transboundary haze pushes Segamat, Batu Pahat, Tangkak into unhealthy range

Johor Baru saw the impact of transboundary haze today, affecting the districts of Segamat, Batu Pahat, and Tangkak along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The Johor Environment Department (DoE) reported an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 152, placing these areas in the unhealthy range. Such a reading indicates that exposure could pose health risks, particularly to sensitive groups.

The DoE deputy director-general (Development), Azuri Azizah Saedon, informed that nationwide air quality had worsened, with several areas along the west coast of the peninsula and parts of Sarawak also recording unhealthy conditions. This deterioration was mainly due to haze drifting from various directions, including transboundary smoke.

According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), hotspots were detected in Kalimantan (287) and Sumatra (65), along with 11 hotspots in Malaysia. Persistent dry weather across much of southern ASEAN and moderate to thick transboundary haze over West Kalimantan led to smoke drifting northwards towards western Sarawak.

The Johor DoE activated the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan to coordinate response efforts across government agencies. They have intensified enforcement of open burning and are conducting daily patrols in high-risk areas while closely monitoring air quality levels. The public is urged to keep track of the latest air quality status through official DoE channels and avoid engaging in open burning.

Under the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2024, individuals convicted of open-burning offenses could face penalties ranging from a minimum fine of RM25,000 to RM1 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both.