Air pollution doesn’t usually make headlines – at least not until the haze rolls in, flights are delayed, or schools are forced to close.

Even then, it is often treated as a temporary inconvenience, an issue forgotten once visibility improves.

The science is sobering.

Air pollution not only affects the lungs, but it is also now linked to heart disease, stroke, dementia, low birth weights, and even mental health problems.

According to the report, almost every organ in the human body can be affected. To make things worse, there is no known “safe” level of exposure, even low concentrations can do harm over time.

For Malaysians, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. We’re no strangers to hazy skies, thanks to a combination of local emissions and regional events.

What’s more worrying is how little we’ve done to treat air pollution as a health emergency, rather than just an environmental or seasonal issue.

A larger problem

The RCP estimates that in Britain, air pollution contributes to around 30,000 premature deaths each year and could cost the economy up to GBP50bil (RM288bil) annually.

While Malaysia lacks the same level of granular data, the scale of the problem is likely comparable when you factor in the haze, traffic congestion, industrial emissions and widespread open burning, not to mention indoor pollutants from poor ventilation.

What the report does well is connect the dots. Air pollution isn’t an isolated problem; it intersects with urban planning, housing, transport, education and health.

That means the solutions need to be systemic too. We must go beyond the obvious culprits like cars and factories.

Yes, reducing vehicle emissions is crucial, but we also need to confront agricultural burning, industrial waste disposal, diesel generators and poorly maintained construction sites.

The haze crisis, which has become an annual fixture, needs to be met with domestic accountability, not just finger-pointing across borders. Indoor air quality also deserves more attention.

In many Malaysian homes – especially in lower-income areas – cooking with gas in poorly-ventilated kitchens, exposure to damp and mould, and the use of toxic cleaning agents all contribute to chronic respiratory issues.

A national strategy on indoor air – from better ventilation standards to cleaner household appliances – is long overdue.

Another big point the RCP makes is about fairness. The reality is, air pollution does not affect everyone equally.

Children, the elderly and low-income communities often bear the brunt of exposure.

In Malaysia, this means we need targeted interventions, like HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in schools and clinics, more greenery in dense neighbourhoods, and pedestrian zones that don’t double as traffic thoroughfares.

Involve healthcare ­professionals

Like the RCP report itself, we should bring more healthcare professionals into the picture.

Doctors and nurses can be ­powerful advocates, but they need the training and tools to understand, track and respond to the health impacts of pollution.

Imagine if every clinic recorded air pollution exposure the way they do smoking history; we’d be able to build a clearer picture of how bad the problem really is, and what’s working to fix it.

Of course, these solutions require political will and money. But these are not just costs, they are investments.

Cleaner air means fewer hospital visits, less time off work, and better educational outcomes for children. It’s good public health and smart economics.

The RCP report reminds us that the consequences of inaction are measured not just in emissions, but also in hospital beds, lost potential and lives cut short.

This is a moment to reset how we think about air. Not just as something that surrounds us, but as something that shapes our health and our lives.

Clean air should be a right, not a privilege. And certainly not a seasonal luxury.

HULU LANGAT: Kerajaan Negeri Selangor akan mendapatkan beberapa pakar dalam pelbagai aspek, termasuk perundangan, bagi merangka polisi baharu khusus untuk mengelak kejadian seumpama kebakaran paip gas di Putra Heights pada 1 April lepas, berulang.

Ringkasan AI

• Selangor menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Khas bagi merangka langkah pencegahan jangka panjang, termasuk cadangan perundangan baharu seperti undang-undang kecil, syarat OSC, enakmen atau akta, bagi mengelakkan kejadian serupa berulang.
• Jawatankuasa ini melibatkan kerjasama pelbagai pihak, termasuk kerajaan negeri, kerajaan Persekutuan, Petronas dan agensi teknikal seperti PDRM dan JKKP, yang telah melengkapkan siasatan teknikal pada 26 Jun 2025.
• Insiden 1 April 2025 menyebabkan kerosakan besar kepada 219 rumah, dengan 81 rumah musnah sepenuhnya dan 81 lagi separa musnah; laporan siasatan mengenal pasti faktor tanah lemah sebagai punca utama, bukan unsur sabotaj atau kecuaian.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari berkata ia merupakan proses pembelajaran dan tindakan susulan yang perlu diambil susulan insiden berkenaan.

SHAH ALAM - [DIKEMAS KINI] Polis bersedia membuka semula siasatan pada bila-bila masa sekiranya menerima sebarang keterangan baharu berkaitan insiden letupan saluran gas Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, 1 April lalu.

Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, buat masa ini kes diklasifikasikan sebagai Tiada Tindakan Lanjut (NFA).

"Siasatan dijalankan tidak menemui sebarang unsur jenayah atau sabotaj, jadi kita klasifikasikan kes itu sebagai NFA.

"Sekiranya ada bukti ataupun keterangan baru yang boleh membantu pihak polis, kita akan buka semula siasatan itu," katanya ketika sidang akhbar di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Selangor pada Selasa.

Hussein berkata, pihaknya mengalu-alukan mana-mana pihak yang mempunyai maklumat berhubung kejadian berkenaan untuk menyalurkannya ke pihak polis.

Polis sebelum ini mengesahkan tiada sebarang unsur khianat, sabotaj atau kecuaian dikenal pasti sehingga boleh menyebabkan kerosakan kepada paip gas dan mencetuskan letupan dalam insiden di Putra Heights, Subang Jaya pada 1 April lepas.

Hussein berkata, rumusan berkenaan diperoleh hasil siasatan teknikal yang dilakukan susulan insiden letupan saluran paip gas bawah tanah itu.

Jelas beliau, pembinaan lot kedai pejabat dan penggantian paip pembentung di kawasan kejadian mengikut garis panduan Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya (MBSJ), Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) dan Petronas.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Gas Berhad (PetGas) has pledged concrete safety enhancements and closer public engagement following the release of official findings into the April 1 pipeline explosion in Putra Heights.

The company said it has deployed substantial resources to safeguard public safety and maintain uninterrupted gas supply, while pledging full transparency and continued cooperation with the Special Taskforce and other relevant authorities.

"We fully recognise the public concerns surrounding the safety of the pipeline system, especially with the continuity of gas flow through the network," the company said in a statement today.

The peninsular gas utilisation system, a backbone of Malaysia's energy infrastructure, is now undergoing enhanced safety scrutiny, with PetGas highlighting its built-in resilience features developed over more than three decades of operations.

"Our systems and people are working continuously to ensure secure and reliable gas delivery to homes, industries, and the nation's power sector," it added.

PetGas said it is prioritising long-term safety upgrades and community support in Putra Heights, although it did not elaborate on specific remedial actions.

With over 30 years of experience in gas infrastructure and utilities, PetGas operates four integrated businesses, namely gas processing, transportation, regasification and utilities.