Haze situation unlikely to persist - Nik Nazmi

KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) expects the ongoing haze situation to not persist due to frequent changing winds.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, however, said cloud seeding operations will go ahead if the Air Pollutant Index (IPU) continues to deteriorate to unhealthy levels of 151 to 200 for more than 24 hours.

"It (cloud seeding) will be subject to favourable atmospheric conditions,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Nik Nazmi said MetMalaysia also provides a forecast of up to five days of cross-border haze movement using prediction models.

At the same time, he said open burning throughout the country was under control and there were no cases of large-scale open burning reported.

"Up to Sept 30, the Department of Environment (DOE) received a total of 3,922 complaints of open burning cases, 80 per cent of which involving the burning of garbage,” he said.

He said the number of hot spots also decreased to 714 compared to 2,091 in 2019.

He said next month, the country is expected to enter the Northeast Monsoon phase with heavy rains forecast, especially in the East Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia and West Sarawak, adding that this will help alleviate the haze problem.

Meanwhile. Nik Nazmi said that the government will study in depth the need to enact the Transboundary Haze Act because it involves technical and international legal issues, adding that implementation could prove challenging if it involves a unilateral agreement.

On action that can be taken against parties that cause cross-border haze, Nik Nazmi said that for now, the Malaysian government is taking a diplomatic approach.

So far, we have not made a claim for damages against any country or any company. We are in talks to find a solution in this matter,” he said. - BERNAMA