EXPLAIN CAUSE OF SERIOUS HAZE IN PENANG – Consumers Association Penang

*Picture taken at Tanjung Bungah @ 11.00am near Mercure Hotel.*

Over the past few days, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has been noticing a serious haze problem occurring in Penang with very poor visibility.

We are wondering why the haze is occurring and SAM would like a clarification from the Department of Environment (DOE) about the state of the air quality in Penang.

With the rather high temperatures these past few weeks in the region of 30 degrees C and above and with no rains, the haze seems to have come back.

Have forest fires started again in Indonesia or are they fires happening in the northern region which is contributing to the haze?

The public should be informed about the air quality levels so that necessary precautionary measures can be taken. It is not enough just to put the air pollutant index readings on the DOE website but there must be explanation given on what the readings mean and what the source of the air pollution is.

We would also like to know what the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Climate Change (MESTECC) and the State authorities are doing regarding the haze issue and the deterioration of the air quality in Penang.

The lack of information regarding this is indeed worrying and troubling.

Press Release, 5 July 2019