THE air quality in Johan Setia, Klang, in Selangor was at the very unhealthy level as at 5pm today, with a reading of 234 on the air pollutant index (API). 

Thirty other areas in the country registered unhealthy air quality with API readings exceeding 100 but below 200. 

These include Sungai Petani (105) and Kulim Hi-Tech (106) inn Kedah; Seberang Jaya (103), Minden (108) and Balik Pulau (102) in Penang; and Tasek Ipoh (134), Pagoh Ipoh (112) and Seri Manjung( 141) in Perak. 

Other areas with unhealthy air are Kuching (117) in Sarawak; Batu Muda (168) and Cheras (156) in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya (166); Kuala Selangor (113), Petaling Jaya( 155), Shah Alam(146), Klang (147) and Banting (153) in Selangor; Nilai (157), Seremban (128) and Port Dickson (132) in Negri Sembilan,  Alor Gajah (124), Bukit Rambai (129) and Bandaraya Melaka (124) in Malacca; Segamat (129), Batu Pahat (115), Kluang, Larkin (104) and Tangkak (156) in Johor; and Rompin(180) and Temerloh(117) in Pahang.

An API reading of 0-50 is good, 51-100 (moderate), 101-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy), and 300 and above (hazardous).

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said in a Facebook post cloud seeding was jointly carried out in Sarawak yesterday by the Meteorological Department, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. 

Malaysia has expressed its concerns to Indonesia over the impact of transboundary smoke on its people, and has offered to help extinguish forest fires raging in Kalimantan and Sumatera.

Yeo said this was conveyed to the Indonesian Minister Counsellor Agus Badrul Jamal and Counsellor for Information, Social and Cultural Affairs Agung Cahaya Sumirat at the Indonesian embassy on Tuesday.

The meeting was also joined by her deputy Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saifuddin Abdullah. 

 “On the diplomatic front, we received updates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia Zainal Abidin Bakar has met Indonesian senior officials yesterday to discuss the transboundary haze currently affecting Malaysia,” she said.

Yeo said the Indonesian government was coordinating with the agencies to address the root cause of the problem and affirmed its commitment to manage the transboundary haze problem.

Meanwhile, Indonesian media reported that police authorities named an Indonesian subsidiary of a Malaysian plantation company as a suspect for starting the forest fires in Riau.

Police allege that PT Adei Plantation Industry, a subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK), had set fire to its land to clear it for planting. – September 13, 2019.