By Amanda L
KUCHING, Aug 31: Just nine hotspots were detected in Sarawak on Aug 29, compared with 1,180 in Kalimantan, as prevailing winds carried smoke haze from Indonesia into the State.
According to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, regional and satellite monitoring showed significant fires in parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra that could affect Sarawak’s air quality.
“From January to Aug 30, Sarawak recorded 302 hotspot detections, of which 186 or 61 per cent, were detected in August.
“In comparison, Kalimantan recorded 15,587 hotspots during the same period, including 13,212 in August,” he told reporters after the SDMC meeting here today.
He said the transboundary haze issue was being addressed through established national, regional and diplomatic channels rather than direct negotiations between Sarawak and Kalimantan.
Uggah said the State government had raised the matter with Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, who is Deputy Chair of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
The engagement is intended to facilitate discussions with Indonesia through the existing ASEAN mechanism under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
He said it was therefore inaccurate to suggest that Sarawak was doing nothing to address the haze.
“This issue is a diplomatic issue. In Malaysia, we have the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution,” he explained.
Within Sarawak, nine hotspots were recorded on Aug 29, comprising five in Bintulu, two in Kota Samarahan and two in Kapit.
Divisional disaster management committees have been mobilised to monitor hotspots, while Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), police, Civil Defence Force (APM), People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA) and other agencies are carrying out firefighting and containment operations.
As of Aug 30, operations at seven locations involved 49 personnel and 13 Bomba, assets covering Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Sibu, Miri and Limbang.
“Sarawak currently has sufficient manpower, firefighting assets and operational resources to manage the identified hotspots, with additional personnel and assets ready to be deployed if necessary,” he explained. — DayakDaily
