By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 22: Air quality readings displayed on the ESG smart pole installed at MBKS Park are intended only as a reference for immediate local air and pollution conditions and should not be compared with or interpreted as official Air Pollutant Index (API) data issued by regulatory agencies, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said.
Responding to public concerns over differences between readings shown on the smart pole and official data released by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) and Department of Environment (DOE) during the recent haze episode, Wee stressed that the system was designed to provide hyperlocal environmental information for park users rather than serve as an official monitoring platform.
“These ESG smart poles were set up by us so that members of the public exercising here can know whether the current environment is healthy and safe. There is no hidden agenda, nor does it represent any department or the government in announcing official indices,” he explained during his ShallWeeTalk live session today.
According to Wee, the smart pole provides the public with a practical reference point when deciding whether outdoor exercise is advisable, particularly during periods of hazy weather.
He also dismissed suggestions that the readings could be used to represent air quality across the whole of Kuching, noting that the device only measures conditions in its immediate surroundings.
“How could just one smart pole standing in MBKS Park possibly measure the whole of Kuching? It is simply impossible,” he said.
Wee said MBKS had clearly labelled the device as a hyperlocal monitoring tool, with signage stating that the readings are indicative only and not official API measurements.
“It is like taking my own body temperature. I cannot claim that the entire population of Malaysia has the same body temperature just because I took mine,” he said.
The mayor explained that the AIR-SYNC system used in the smart pole continuously measures pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), as well as humidity and temperature within the immediate vicinity of the installation.
He emphasised that AIR-SYNC was developed as a supplementary hyperlocal monitoring system and was never intended to replace or challenge official monitoring stations operated by the DOE or NREB.
According to Wee, the system underwent collocation and performance evaluation against reference-grade instruments under a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) project using methodologies based on United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) recommendations. However, he emphasised that AIR-SYNC is not a US EPA-certified instrument.
He further pointed out that the MBKS AIR-SYNC unit is located about three kilometres from the official DOE monitoring station, making direct comparisons between the two technically inappropriate.
“Discrepancies in readings are normal due to differences in location, installation height, local pollution sources, weather conditions, sensor technology, update intervals and averaging times. That is why we clearly label it as indicative and supplementary,” he said.
Wee reiterated that official health advisories and regulatory decisions should continue to rely on data from the DOE and NREB, which remain the recognised authorities for API reporting and public health guidance.
“In summary, DOE and NREB provide the official baseline, while AIR-SYNC offers additional localised information, greater spatial and temporal coverage, and early warnings for short-term pollution changes. The two systems serve different objectives but complement each other,” he said.
The mayor said the smart pole forms part of MBKS’ broader Smart City agenda and was installed at one of the city’s most popular recreational parks to provide useful environmental information to the public.
“A local index is a Smart City initiative. We installed it in a park frequented by citizens for exercise, and we plan to add more in other parks in the future. Everything we do is for the benefit of the people,” he said. — DayakDaily
