Peter speaking to reporters about haze issue in Sarawak.
KUCHING: There are seven hotspots detected in Sarawak while the hotspot count in Kalimantan was 121.
According to the weather forecast by Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), Sarawak is likely to experience a warmer and drier than average weather until end of August and intermittent rain is expected to dampen the weather from September onward.
Highlighting this, Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) Sarawak controller Peter Sawal said that the Air Pollution Index (API) readings for Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Mukah, Bintulu and Sibu were still at moderate level (below 100).
“The rest in the interior as well as northern part still enjoy good weather,” he told reporters after a press conference on 10th Better Air Quality Conference at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
While NREB is monitoring the situation closely, he added that the high number of hotspots detected across the border coupled by factor of wind direction towards Sarawak, towns near the border would experience high API reading.
Peter also pointed out that NREB has already put on hold the issuance of open burning permit until situation permits.
“Since early July, we have not issued any permit for open burning. So if there are burnings at plantation area, obviously that is illegal and we will take action,” he said.
Peter thus reminded local farmers to be vigilant and control open burning activities as there have been a few incidents reported in Sibu, Mukah, Sri Aman and Betong.
“Our officers have been to the ground to advise local farmers. But if burning needed to be done, it must be monitored to prevent the fire from spreading because there were incidents whereby the fire spread to nearby plantation area and affected a large area of the oil palm plantation. So some plantations have suffered because of that,” he elaborated.
But Peter took comfort in the fact that for the past two years, the number of illegal burning cases have significantly decreased.
“I think people are now more aware of the seriousness and consequences as in the act does not only affect the community but also their integrity,” he said.
“More importantly, they cannot escape from the law because we have a digitised map and through satellite, we can detect and pinpoint any burning activity whether outside or inside development area. This has been successfully done,” he added.
Nonetheless, he warned that those caught and found guilty of conducting illegal open burning could be slapped with a compound of up to RM30,000 or prosecuted in court.
On the dry weather impact on water reserve which could cause water stress in certain areas, he said no report has been received yet as of now.
“There are various agencies coordinated to manage this problem including Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB). In any incident of water stress, or low water level or supply, portable water will be supplied as needed.