MIRI – A ban on all forms of open burning of agriculture and domestic wastes has been imposed throughout Sarawak, following escalating cases of forest fires and increasing air pollution in numerous parts of the vast state.
The Sarawak Energy and Environment Conservation Ministry has directed the state’s Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) to enforce the ban, its minister Dr Hazland Abang Hipni announced today.
NREB will enforce the total ban on open burning with immediate effect, and send out notices to every quarter and stakeholder to comply.
Offenders can be jailed a maximum of five years and fined RM100,000, or both, if convicted, he warned.
“We have also reminded the public to wear masks and reduce outdoor activities in places affected by air pollutants,” he said in a statement.
Dr Hazland said the NREB will work with its federal counterpart, the Environment Department (DoE), to stop open burning in the state.
“Both the NREB and DoE must work together and coordinate their enforcement to make the ban effective,” he stressed.
The past few days saw air pollution soar as the number of forest fires escalated in Sarikei and Mukah in central Sarawak, as well as Miri in the north.
Firefighters have had their hands full tackling wildfires in different areas, with the smog and haze starting to worsen over the past three days.
A hotspot the size of three acres (roughly the size of three football fields) detected in the Riam housing area near Miri city was successfully doused by Miri firefighters two days ago.
The wildfires caused the air in a wide area to be filled with smog.
Another fire in Mukah burned for about eight hours in a forested area, with the fire measuring 4ha in size (size of about 10 football fields combined).
Water tankers were deployed to the site of the forest fires to facilitate total flooding of the site that was on fire. – The Vibes, August 17, 2023
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