By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Aug 15: Sarawak will raise concerns over haze believed to be linked to open burning in Kalimantan through the Asean Transboundary Haze Committee, as the State steps up measures to tackle deteriorating air quality and water shortages.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the issue would be channelled to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), which would convey the State’s concerns through the regional mechanism.
“We have the Asean Transboundary Haze Committee, of which Malaysia is a member. Any incidents caused by activities in a neighbouring country will be discussed through the committee,” he said when met by the media after officiating the Prize Giving Ceremony of the Iban Women Charitable Trust Handicraft Competition held at a hotel here today.
Uggah said Sarawak also had to remain vigilant over haze from other neighbouring areas, particularly around Kuala Baram near the Brunei border.
“Brunei is also very sensitive because whenever there are fires, the smoke often travels there as well,” he said.
According to Uggah, a mechanism was already in place to address transboundary haze and find ways to minimise its impact.
Earlier, he said Sarawak had submitted a request for cloud seeding after the haze engulfed the State and water levels at some dams and hydro areas began to decline.
“We have discussed this with the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), and all we need now are the right conditions because we cannot conduct cloud seeding without clouds. As soon as conditions permit, they will proceed,” he said.
Uggah said the situation remained critical, but expressed relief that the Air Pollutant Index (API) had dropped as rain continued to fall in the evening, signalling improved air quality.
On school closures, he said the existing standard operating procedure (SOP) would apply when the API reaches 200.
As for nurseries and kindergartens, he said the matter would be left to the Minister for Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, as many working parents rely on these facilities to care for their children.
He added the State government was monitoring water shortages in several areas, with the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) tasked with delivering water where possible, while the Welfare Department continued supplying drinking water where needed.
Additionally, Uggah said Divisional Disaster Management Committees had been instructed to monitor hotspots and water shortages.
“We are giving them a KPI that within 12 hours from the time a complaint is received, water must be supplied to people who report a shortage,” he said.
He also urged the public to stop open burning until the situation improves. — DayakDaily
