Serian kembali catat IPU ke paras sangat tak sihat

Kawasan Serian di Sarawak has once again recorded an Air Pollution Index (IPU) level of a dangerously unhealthy category following a late afternoon dust storm. According to the Malaysia Air Pollution Monitoring System (APIMS) portal, the area recorded an IPU reading of 218, while eleven other areas across Sarawak and Johor reported unhealthy conditions, including Pasir Gudang in Johor with a reading of 109.

The Sarawak locations with unhealthy readings include Samarahan (186), Sri Aman (184), Kuching (180), Sarikei (160), Samalaju (158), Bintulu (157), Sibu (156), Mukah (154), Miri (152), and the Industrial Training Centre (ILP) Miri (136).

Overall, 47 locations nationwide were reported to be in the moderate range, while nine areas recorded good air quality. The IPU scale ranges from 0 to 301, with 0-50 indicating good air quality, 51-100 (moderate), 101-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy), and 301 and above (hazardous). Meanwhile, Deputy Director (Development) of the Malaysia Environment Department (JAS), Azuri Azizah Saedon, said that based on the report from the ASEAN Centre for Meteorological Hydrological Services (ASMC) yesterday, 66 hotspots were recorded in Kalimantan and 42 in Sumatra, Indonesia, along with light to heavy dust storms in both regions, and no hotspots were detected in Malaysia.

She added that JAS will pay attention to the fire incidents in some areas of Sarawak and Johor, especially in terms of the higher fire risk during hot and dry weather. "Fire incidents in the mentioned areas have the potential to generate smoke and release pollutants that can deteriorate the local air quality if not monitored," she said.

Azuri Azizah stated that in Sarawak, the Selalang Open Fire Pit, Sarikei has an area of 1.5 hectares which has been successfully extinguished until now with around 67% and the remaining 0.5 hectares is still burning and under control. In Johor, the ground forest fire around Bukit Pelali Chinese Cemetery and Bypass Sebana Cove–Punggai, Kota Tinggi covers an area of 17 hectares and until now, 14.8 hectares (87%) has been successfully extinguished while 2.2 hectares is still under control.

"Ground forest fire in Kampung Sungai Buntu, Pengerang, Kota Tinggi with an area of 10.12 hectares has been completely extinguished," she added, mentioning that JAS Sarawak and Johor will continue monitoring the fire sites including using drones. Azuri Azizah said that JAS will continue to increase monitoring efforts on open burning activities that can deteriorate air quality, as well as driving the National Fire Action Plan (PTJK) together with related agencies to monitor and handle the situation as it progresses.