PUTRAJAYA – The current monsoon transition phase is expected to continue until middle of May, and will bring thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds, especially in the afternoons and early evenings, said Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
He said the matter was relayed to him by the Meteorological Department at the national haze and dry weather committee meeting, which he chaired here at the Environment Department headquarters here.
“Hot and dry weather can still occur and will only completely ease by April. This phenomenon is normal and occurs around February to April each year and no extreme hot weather is forecast this year,” he said in a statement today.
He said the lowest monthly rainfall recorded at 0.0mm in February this year at Langkawi and Alor Star, Kedah, while the highest temperature at 36.8°C was recorded in Kuala Krai, Kelantan on February 26.
He said a total of 1,586 cases of open burning were reported for January 1 to March 10 this year.
“A total of 29 large-scale fires were recorded involving permanent forest reserves, shrubbery, and peatland, as well as landfills,” he said, adding that all had been successfully put out.
Tuan Ibrahim said the department had taken action by issuing 52 field citations, 37 compounds, 62 notices of instruction, 168 letters of instruction, and 26 investigation papers prepared for possible court action.
“The government will take serious action to curb the issue of fires at illegal landfills and improve measures to prevent forest and peatland fires that affect air quality and cause local haze,” he said.
The National Haze Steering Committee, established in 1997, is responsible for reporting on the current status of haze conditions and dry hot weather plaguing the country. – Bernama, March 18, 2021
