By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: Three areas in Perak have recorded moderate-level Air Pollution Index (API) readings — Tanjung Malim, as well as Pegoh and Tasek in Ipoh.
At the moderate API level, it generally does not pose a danger to public health.
As a precautionary measure, the public is advised to maintain a healthy lifestyle even though no activity restrictions are imposed on any group.
Only Kuala Selangor in Selangor has recorded an unhealthy API reading of 137, making it the only area in the country where air quality has exceeded the 100 mark as of 2 p.m.
Tanjung Malim ranked second with a reading of 95, followed by Pegoh at 88 and Tasek at 83.
Cross-border haze is reported to be affecting several states along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
The Director-General of the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia), Dr. Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, reportedly said that a report issued by the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC) found 79 hotspots in the Sumatra region.
According to him, this is likely the cause of the hazy conditions in Malaysia, carried by southwesterly winds.
