Selangor gov't, police to act on open burning culprits

The Selangor government is working closely with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in taking action against any individual who triggers open burning in the Johan Setia area in Klang.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari (photo, above) said this was because the individuals suspected of carrying out burning in peatland areas were illegal farmers and foreigners and the state government had difficulty in controlling the situation.

“The state government is keeping an eye on open burning in Johan Setia. This issue has even been brought up on several occasions during meetings. (However) The state government is still looking for an effective formula in dealing with the matter,” Amirudin told reporters after attending the Economic Empowerment Dialogue on the Advancement of Selangor in Shah Alam yesterday.

Also present in the dialogue were the chairperson of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) board of directors, Kamal Mat Salih, and the Prime Minister's economic advisor, Muhammed Abdul Khalid.

The menteri besar was commenting on the statement by the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) director Shafee Yasin, who disclosed that open burning in Johan Setia carried out by farmers for agricultural activities, had also contributed to the increase in the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in the state.

Commenting on the haze that hit five areas in Selangor over the past two days, Amirudin said the Selangor State Disaster Management Unit would take appropriate action if the API was above the unhealthy reading level.

“Any announcement about school closures will depend on the current situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the state government's plans for preparing next year's budget, Amirudin said Selangor would focus on the safety and well-being of the people.

He said among the initiatives to be planned was the installation of closed-circuit television cameras in certain areas, adding that he was also waiting for a meeting with the Home Affairs Ministry to discuss the proposed increase of the number of police personnel and police stations in the state.

- Bernama