SHAH ALAM, 4 Mar: As the haze problem becomes more worrying, the Selangor Government has taken immediate steps to provide 100,000 masks to be distributed to the public.
The Executive Councillor in charge of Health, Dr Daroyah Alwi, said that it has been given to all Community Service Centres (PKM) in State Legislative Assemblies (DUN) that has recorded a high rating in the Air Pollution Index (API).
She said that Assemblymen or PKM officers can obtain the supplies soon.
“The public can get the masks for free at the PKM at their respective DUN.
“The quantity will be increased from time to time, depending on the current state of the haze,” she said in a press statement today.
As of 12pm today, Banting recorded the highest API reading of 130, Petaling Jaya (123), Port Klang and Shah Alam (121), Kuala Selangor (105) and Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (115).
According the Department of Environment (DOE), API readings between 0-50 shows a healthy quality of air, 51-100 (medium), 101-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy), while above 301 shows a reading that is harmful to health.
In the same press statement, Daroyah also advised the people to be aware of the API readings to avoid being exposed to health risks.
She said that the haze brings about adverse effects to all, especially high risk people such as children, senior citizens and those with asthma, lung or heart problems.
“The people have been urged to increase their intake of water and to reduce outdoor activities and to always use masks outdoors.
“Patients taking medicine have been advised to take medication regularly. If faced with difficulty in breathing, immediately see a doctor,” she said.
She said that smokers have been asked to reduce their habit, in addition to avoiding smoking in closed areas such as homes.
She said that road users have been asked to keep a distance between vehicles and to avoid driving if the visibility worsens.
Almost all areas in Selangor and the Klang Valley have recorded unhealthy API readings sue to the haze, caused by forest fires in Sumatra, which has affected the quality of air in Peninsular Malaysia.
