Jerebu dijangka beransur reda dalam tempoh 2 minggu, kata timbalan menteri

A worsening air quality crisis in Malaysia has been linked to smog drifting in from neighboring Indonesia, according to the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Peoples and Environment, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. The situation has worsened since August 8, and is expected to improve over the next two weeks as the country transitions from the north-to-south monsoon.

However, the deputy minister emphasized that simply changing weather patterns is not enough to solve the underlying problem of forest and land fires in parts of Indonesia, including Kalimantan and Sumatera. Malaysia is currently in the transition phase from the north monsoon to the east monsoon, which began at the end of October and is expected to officially start at the end of October.

The deputy minister stressed that while weather changes alone cannot solve the issue, preventative measures must be taken at their source. Legal enforcement must be strengthened domestically and regional cooperation must be bolstered to ultimately reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future. The deputy minister responded to questions about the crisis after addressing remarks by Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka), who characterized the smog as a national crisis due to its impact on public health, safety, economy, and well-being.

Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching) and Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) also raised concerns, with Yii calling the smog a seasonal emergency that requires stronger action, including amending the Anti-Smog Across Borders Act and improving data sharing and concessions. Young Syefura also requested clarification on the diplomatic actions taken by the government against Indonesia, including any responses received and the effectiveness of these measures, in addition to urging stronger domestic enforcement and protection for vulnerable groups.

In response to these concerns, Syed Ibrahim explained that the smog crisis is primarily caused by an increase in forest and land fires in several regions of Indonesia, including Kalimantan and Sumatera, which have also contributed to deteriorating air quality in certain areas of Malaysia, particularly in Sarawak. As a mitigation measure, the government has conducted 11 series of cloud seeding operations from August 30 to October 15 in collaboration with the Meteorology Department Malaysia and the National Disaster Management Agency.

However, the deputy minister acknowledged that one of the main challenges in implementing cross-border legal measures is obtaining sufficient evidence to determine the cause of pollution and the responsible parties.