Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has directed the state secretary and executive council to meet and direct officers to be prepared to implement standing guidelines and actions to cope with the haze.

While the situation is still under control, both State Secretary Farizan Darus and the exco for environment Phee Boon Poh have been told to see to it that the stock of face masks, especially the N95 industrial mask, is replenished.

lim guan engHowever, the N95 masks needed when the API reaches hazardous levels is out of stock as the Singapore government has been pro-active in buying 1 million of these masks to be distributed free of charge to its citizens, Lim said in a statement today.
 
"The irresponsible and lackadaisical attitude by the (Malaysian) federal government has caused (citizens) to lose out once again to Singaporeans ... In the meantime, Penangites can only pray that the haze will not worsen.”

Lim urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak not to share Natural Resources and Environment Minister G Palanivel’s "lackadaisical and irresponsible attitude" in handling the crisis.

Palanivel had declared ‘emergency status’ in Muar and Ledang not when the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading reached 300, but only after it reached 746 yesterday, Lim said.

"What is shocking is that Palanivel was more concerned about completing the panda house than dealing immediately with the haze crisis.”
 
Even Najib had said that all ministries and agencies involved in haze disaster management at the federal, state and district levels must take measures  to ensure safety and public health, Lim noted.
   
All areas with API readings of 300 or more - including Malacca - should be placed in a state of emergency, Lim said, also noting that “many are falling sick in Johor, Selangor, Malacca nd Negri Sembilan".

"All school principals in areas with an API above 100 should be given the full discretion to decide whether to close schools, while automatic closure of schools should be implemented when the API reaches 150," he added.

DOE Air Pollutant Index - check API readings nationwide

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