Kuantan: Air Pollution Index (API) in Balok Baru, Kuantan, Pahang, was recorded at a ‘very unhealthy’ level of 250 as of 4 pm today. Department of Environment (DOE) director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar attributed the poor air quality to a peatland fire at a coconut plantation in Cherating, Kuantan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the DOE had issued Warning Notification Notes 3A and 3B to the National Disaster Command Centre (NDCC). This was to facilitate the dissemination of a Disaster Preparedness Operational Notice aimed at activating the District/State Disaster Management Committees, which would initiate a response based on the National Haze Action Plan.

Wan Abdul Latiff emphasized that the DOE has intensified enforcement actions and monitoring activities both on the ground and from the air using drones, while continuously tracking API readings. Coordination efforts between relevant agencies have also been implemented to strategize firefighting and fire control measures.

Meanwhile, Wan Abdul Latiff mentioned that according to the Regional Haze Map issued by ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, most of the southern ASEAN region experienced cloudy weather today. However, this was not the case for Peninsular Malaysia and the northern part of Sumatra, Indonesia, where several isolated hot spots were detected. Localized smoke plumes were observed originating from hot spots on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

He advised all landowners to closely monitor areas prone to frequent fires to prevent open burning incidents. The public is also urged to help extinguish small fires and report any cases of open burning or fires to the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or the DOE at the toll-free hotline 1-800-88-2727.