Malaysia plans to induce rain through cloud seeding and may shut down schools due to worsening air quality in various locations, as reported by the Department of Environment. This development raises concerns about potential pollution stemming from forest fires.
During nearly every dry season, smoke from fires used to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia blankets much of the region. This poses health risks to the public and concerns for tourism operators and airlines.
Malaysia , as they prepare to make rain , is currently witnessing a deterioration in air quality, particularly in the western part of Peninsular Malaysia. Eleven areas have reported unhealthy Air Pollution Index (API) readings, according to Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, the department’s director-general, in a statement released on Monday, October 2nd.
Last week, Malaysia attributed the pollution to fires in neighboring Indonesia, though Indonesia denied any detection of smoke crossing into Malaysia.
Earlier on Monday, the Malaysian department reported that a regional meteorological agency had identified nearly 250 “hotspots,” indicating fires, on Indonesia’s Sumatra island and its part of Borneo island, with none detected in Malaysia.
Efforts to improve air quality by inducing rain through cloud seeding and other measures will be initiated when API readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours, according to Wan Abdul Latiff.
Furthermore, schools and kindergartens must suspend all outdoor activities when API readings reach 100 and close when they reach 200, he added.
Greenpeace, an environmental group, has called on countries in the region to enact legislation preventing plantation companies from causing air pollution. Heng Kiah Chun, regional campaign strategist for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, emphasized the need for a domestic transboundary haze act as a deterrent, especially considering potential bad actors in the industry.