Haze Predicted To Last Another One To Two Weeks Minister

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The current unhealthy air quality in parts of Peninsular Malaysia is expected to last another one to two weeks, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
“There might be some positive (news) in that it has been raining these few days and we see some decrease (in the readings), but we predict that this haze is expected to last another one to two weeks,” Nik Nazmi said in an interview aired on Astro Awani tonight.
When pressed for a more detailed prediction, the minister said he dared not make any concrete statements about how long the haze will last.
There has been an increase in unhealthy air quality in Malaysia over the last few days, with the Environment Department saying it is caused by a transboundary haze due to ongoing forest fires in Indonesia.
Indonesia has since denied the claim, saying reports show there is no cross-border smoke originating from the country.
Nik Nazmi said the government’s data shows that the haze in Malaysia is not caused by domestic sources, as monitoring shows there have been no large-scale fires in the country recently.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik AhmadMeanwhile, he said Malaysian subsidiaries operating in Indonesia have been given reminders to comply with local regulations but enforcement will be up to the respective countries.
Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar also previously said they have given warnings to 203 companies and instructed 20 others to halt operations, including Malaysian subsidiaries. - Mkini

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