By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 25: The Department of Environment (DOE) Malaysia has confirmed that 16 hotspots have been detected in Sarawak as air quality in Kuching deteriorated to an unhealthy level today, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) hitting 111 at 3pm.
Johan Setia in Selangor also recorded an unhealthy reading of 152.
DOE director-general Dato’ Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the worsening air quality in both areas is due to transboundary haze, with no major local fires reported.
According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), satellite images from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 20 on Thursday (July 24) detected 22 hotspots in Sumatra, 154 in Kalimantan, and 73 in Malaysia, including 16 in Sarawak and one in Pahang.
“The Regional Haze Map released by ASMC today shows dry and hazy conditions across much of Southeast Asia, although central Sumatra and parts of Peninsular Malaysia experienced some rainfall.
“Moderate smoke plumes were detected from hotspot areas in Sarawak, contributing to the degradation in air quality,” he said in a statement today.
As of 3pm today, five areas nationwide recorded good air quality, while 61 areas were at moderate level.
To mitigate the situation, DOE has ramped up enforcement efforts under the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan.
“As of July 24, the department has carried out 4,184 ground patrols and 645 drone flights to detect and monitor open burning.
“In terms of enforcement, 58 directive notices have been issued, along with 27 court actions and 59 compounds against individuals or parties involved in illegal open burning in 2025,” Wan Abdul Latiff said.
The DOE also urged all landowners to monitor fire-prone areas such as waste disposal sites, forests, peatlands, plantations, agricultural areas, and industrial zones to prevent illegal encroachment and accidental fires.
“The cooperation of landowners is crucial. Open burning, whether intentional or accidental, must be prevented to avoid further deterioration of our air quality,” he stressed.
The public is advised to stay informed through the DOE’s official website https://eqms.doe.gov.my/APIMS/main or by downloading the official MyJAS EQMS mobile app and take precautions to protect their health during this period of haze. — DayakDaily
