Musa directs relevant authorities in Sabah to be vigilant, prepared following haze

KOTA KINABALU: Relevant authorities at all districts in Sabah have been directed to be vigilant and ever ready to spring into action to overcome any emergency situation following the worsening haze situation.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said they are on 24-hour shifts and working round the clock, especially the State Fire and Rescue Department that is also coordinating their efforts with the Forestry Department to combat fires in Binsuluk Forest Reserve.
He said he had also directed the State Disaster Relief Committee and the respective district level committees to be on alert and report any open burning activities.
"Today, I called for a briefing by the State Fire and Rescue Department, Sabah Meteorological Department and Department of Environment on the worsening haze situation in Sabah especially on the west coast.
"The situation is worrying because of the diminishing air quality that can cause respiratory problems and poor visibility that could pose a safety risk for air and road traffic.
"I am told that the biggest contributor to the haze is the peat forest fires in the Binsuluk Forest Reserve in Beaufort and Kota Klias," he said in a statement here today.
Musa also said he had asked Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau to rectify the situation and possibly conduct cloud seeding as soon as possible.
"(However), he informed me that they were ever ready to conduct cloud seeding, but its success depended on the availability and type of clouds," he said.
Meanwhile, Musa asked the public to be responsible and not resort to open burning that would worsen the haze situation.
The public should also limit their outdoor activities due to the poor air quality, he added. — Bernama