The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is prepared to assist Indonesia in putting out forest fires which have been the main cause for the cross-border haze in the country currently.
Director-General, Wan Mohd Noor Ibrahim, said on Sunday (Oct 4) that the department was willing to offer aid if Indonesia needed external support to help in tackling the haze problem which has recently reached critical levels.
"Usually, when a foreign country requests for help from our country to resolve a disaster, they will certainly contact our government beforehand," he said.
"As such, we are prepared to help if the situation warrants, but it depends on the government itself because it will decide whether to send the fire personnel to join the mission to put out the forest fire in Indonesia."
(Photo: Jack Board)
He said the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department had the complete assets and skills needed if the department was chosen to carry out the mission to put out the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
"Forest fires are different from the normal fires because the forest is very big...it demands the security agencies to deploy all assets available to put out the fire because the operation is most challenging," he added.
"In addition, the operation also needs the services of many personnel because it covers a very large area."
As at 9am today, air quality in most areas throughout the country deteriorated with several areas in the Klang Valley recording unhealthy air pollutant index (API) readings and one area posted a dangerous level with the API in Shah Alam at 308.
Yesterday, Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Madius Tangau said in a statement that the severe haze affecting the country since the middle of last month would ease briefly from Oct 6 to 9.
However, he said the haze would return on Oct 10 following a tropical storm forecasted in eastern Philippines if the fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan were not extinguished.
Commenting further on the haze situation which was of greater concern now, Wan Mohd Noor advised the people to stop any open burning activity to prevent the haze from becoming worse.
- Bernama/yt
