PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
KUANTAN: The operation to extinguish a fire at a 176ha oil palm plantation and forest along the Kuantan-Sungai Ular bypass in Gebeng, which began on Feb 22 has been successfully completed on Monday (March 10).
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Razam Taja Rahim said close monitoring of the location by the Gebeng Fire and Rescue Station will continue for the next three days.
He explained that this monitoring is crucial because the fire occurred on peatland, where embers often remain underground despite not being visible on the surface of the plantation and forest.
"Through this monitoring, we will ensure there are no remaining embers in the peatland that could potentially ignite another fire.
"The Fire and Rescue Department would like to express its highest appreciation to the agencies involved, including the Kuantan District Office, the Public Works Department, and the Irrigation and Drainage Department.
"Also, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Environment Department, and other parties who have worked alongside us in carrying out the firefighting operation.
"This strong cooperation reflects the government's commitment to the sustainability of the people's lives," he said in a statement Monday evening.
The fire, which started in an oil palm plantation before spreading to the surrounding forest, caused the air pollutant index (API) reading in the Balok Baru area to reach the unhealthy category with a reading of 193 on Monday.
Involving more than 70 personnel from 10 fire and rescue stations, the fire also caught the attention of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who advised residents in the Balok Baru area to be cautious due to the air pollution.
Additionally, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad visited the site and received a briefing from the relevant agency officers on Thursday (March 6). – Bernama
PETALING JAYA: As open burning cases surge nationwide, the Fire and Rescue Department has urged the public to take preventive measures to avert an environmental disaster and warned that the consequences can be devastating to air quality and public health.
The department told theSun that last year there was 19,273 cases of open burning recorded, with Sabah accounting for the highest number at 2,415 cases, followed by Johor with 2,142, Kedah 1,971 and Selangor 1,904.
Fire Safety division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain said the 1997 haze disaster, one of the worst environmental crises in Southeast Asia, serves as a reminder of how uncontrolled forest and bushfires had blanketed the region in smog, making it difficult to breathe and disrupting businesses.
“Fires can be devastating if not controlled, but we can prevent open burning by understanding its risks. The lesson is clear – without prevention, precaution and protection, history will repeat itself.”
Khirudin said there was a significant rise in open burning cases last year compared with the same period in 2023, adding that fires in shrublands and grasslands saw the highest increase, from 9,294 cases in 2023 to 13,182 cases in 2024.
He also said waste fires rose from 2,703 to 2,979 cases, while forest fires accounted for 2,164 cases, and farm and plantation fires were at 948 cases.
He attributed the rise to two primary factors: intentional actions and negligence.
“Intentional cases often involve waste disposal, in which individuals or businesses burn waste for quick disposal, particularly in areas with limited waste management. In agriculture, open burning is commonly used to clear land or dispose of crop residues, but this practice severely harms air quality and increases pollution.
“Negligence and lack of awareness also contribute significantly, as many people burn waste without realising the environmental and health risks.”
Khirudin said the department is collaborating with agencies such as the Environment Department to monitor air quality and assist in enforcement and firefighting operations. “Additionally, we are partnering with MetMalaysia to receive weather forecasts and data on wind patterns, which are crucial for understanding the spread of fires, especially in the case of forest fires or haze episodes.”
Khirudin urged the public to report open burning incidents through the 999 emergency hotline or by contacting the nearest fire station and provide accurate details, adding that the public should never confront offenders directly, but to let authorities handle the enforcement.
Universiti Putra Malaysia faculty of forestry and environment senior lecturer Dr Mohd Yusoff Ishak said pollutants from open burning can cause breathing problems, eye irritation and heart strain in the short term, while long term exposure increases the risk of lung disease, heart disease, cancer and nerve disorders.
“Children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions are most vulnerable to the effects of open burning. The developing lungs in children make them more prone to asthma and infections, while the elderly, especially those with weakened immune systems, face higher health risks as smoke can trigger severe breathing difficulties and inflammation.”
Mohd Yusoff said encouraging industries, farmers and individuals to stop open burning and adopt environmentally friendly waste management practices requires a mix of incentives, strict regulations, education, supporting infrastructure for circularity and community engagement.
He said Malaysia has strict regulations against open burning under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and related laws, but enforcement challenges and loopholes allow it to persist.
“There is a need for improvement in personnel and technological resources to monitor remote or illegal open burning and implement mandatory environmental restoration costs for corporate violators or repeat offenders.
“Malaysia can adopt a multi-pronged approach to reduce and eventually stop open burning through composting, upcycling plant materials, bioenergy, investing in Waste-to-Energy technologies and key waste management infrastructure, and improving public engagement to support policy and awareness.”
KOTA KINABALU: Ketua Menteri Sabah, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor dijadual meninjau situasi banjir besar di Beaufort dan melawat mangsa di pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) di daerah itu, hari ini.
Selain itu, Setiausaha Politik Kanan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin turut dijadual melawat mangsa di Beaufort dan Membakut.
Hajiji dan Shamsul Iskandar dijadual melawat PPS Dewan DSP Mohd Dun Banir di Beaufort pada jam 9 pagi ini, sebelum meninjau situasi banjir di pekan Beaufort dan sekitarnya.
Dewan berkenaan adalah antara tujuh PPS dibuka di Beaufort berikutan banjir yang melanda sejak Jumaat lalu dan menempatkan paling ramai mangsa dengan 412 orang daripada 147 keluarga setakat jam 4 pagi ini.
Enam lagi PPS ialah Pusat Pemindahan Kekal Dewan Selagon (376 mangsa), Dewan Bisaya (212 mangsa), Dewan Residensi Prima (203 mangsa), Dewan Kukut (136 mangsa), Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pekan Beaufort (266 mangsa) dan Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Beaufort 3 (114 mangsa).
Secara keseluruhan, seramai 1,719 mangsa banjir daripada 556 keluarga dipindahkan di Beaufort sejak Jumaat lalu hingga jam 4 pagi ini, menjadikan Beaufort paling ramai pemindahan mangsa banjir daripada empat daerah di pedalaman Sabah yang dilanda bencana itu setakat ini.
Tiga lagi daerah yang dilanda banjir ialah Tenom (1,119 mangsa), Membakut (914 mangsa) dan Sook (778 mangsa).
Berdasarkan laporan Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri (JPBN) Sabah, jumlah keseluruhan mangsa banjir yang dipindahkan dari keempat-empat daerah itu setakat jam 4 pagi ini ialah 4,530 orang daripada 1,488 keluarga.
Secara keseluruhan sebanyak 29 PPS dibuka di keempat-empat daerah berikutan banjir yang berpunca daripada hujan lebat berterusan di kawasan pedalaman Sabah yang menyebabkan limpahan air sungai utama, khususnya Sungai Padas di Tenom dan Beaufort serta Sungai Membakut di Membakut.
Hujan lebat berterusan dengan kadar yang tinggi mencecah 200 milimeter (mm) berbanding kadar biasa kira-kira 50mm, selain fenomena air pasang tinggi hingga mencapai 2.5 meter punca utama banjir besar di daerah terbabit.
AIR pollution is fuelling a rise in the commonest form of lung cancer among non-smokers, hitting women and people in South-East Asia particularly hard, according to a study published recently.
Lung cancer is the commonest form of the disease, with 2.5 million people diagnosed in 2022, said the study, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.
Most of them were men but there was a growing share of nearly a million cases among women.
One key subtype of lung cancer – adenocarcinoma – has become predominant among women in 185 countries, the authors wrote in the Chinese-funded study.
“Air pollution can be considered an important factor that partly explains the emerging predominance of adenocarcinoma that accounts for 53-70% of cases of lung cancer among people who have never smoked worldwide,” the study said.
They found it grew among both men and women from 2020 to 2022, with the highest level among women, where it accounted for around six in 10 cases.
“As smoking prevalence continues to decline in many countries worldwide, the proportion of lung cancer in people who have never smoked has increased,” the researchers added.
“Lung cancer in people who have never smoked is estimated to be the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, occurring almost exclusively as adenocarcinoma and most commonly in women and Asian populations.”
The study presented statistical research based on data from monitors including the World Health Organisation.
The researchers said the highest levels of adenocarcinoma linked to air pollution were detected in East Asia, particularly China.
“Exposure to household burning of solid fuels for heating and cooking could be a causal factor of lung cancer” among Chinese women non-smokers, they added. – AFP Relaxnews
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning for thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in 6 states until 7pm on Monday (March 10).
The affected states are Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Sarawak and Sabah.
The areas forecast to be hit in Perak include Kerian, Larut, Matang Dan Selama, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Perak Tengah, Kampar, Bagan Datuk, Hilir Perak, Batang Padang and Muallim
In Pahang, the affected areas include Tanah Tinggi Cameron, Lipis, Raub and Jerantut, while in Selangor, Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Klang, and Petaling are also affected.
The affected areas in Sarawak are Miri (Telang Usan dan Marudi) dan Limbang, while Sabah Pedalaman dan Pantai Barat (Papar dan Ranau) are also affected.
In Sabah, the affected areas involve the interior and West Coast (Papar and Ranau).