NATURAL Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has warned the nation to expect more hazy days in the coming months due to hot and dry weather.The current monsoon transition period is expected to last until August, and conditions during this time are typically hotter and drier, leading to an increased risk of hotspots.The resumption of economic activities after the COVID-19 pandemic is also contributing to the haze. Malaysia had been spared from the haze for the past few years due to the pandemic’s economic slowdown.However, the economy is now fully reopened, and the haze is expected to return. The government has already planned and will hold a multi-agency meeting to discuss the possibility of drier conditions and haze affecting the country.Several ministries will be roped in to tackle the issue, and the emphasis will be on illegal open burning carried out by the private sector, which is needed to prevent peat soil fires.The Department of Environment will investigate the reasons behind the current hazy conditions, and the possible effects of El Nino on the region will be closely monitored.Peninsular Malaysia is currently experiencing haze.“Hot weather has caused fires to occur in forested areas and on properties. The haze is not happening only in Malaysia but in countries in the ASEAN region,” The Star reported him as saying.
