DistantNews
Support us
Penang National Day parade may be canceled due to haze
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Environment & Climate

Penang National Day parade may be canceled due to haze

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Penang's National Day parade may be canceled if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches 200 or higher, according to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
  • The situation is being closely monitored due to the outdoor nature of the celebration, with a decision to be made based on real-time API readings.
  • The state government is not considering moving the parade indoors, as even a stadium is considered an open area, and the effectiveness of a proposed cross-border haze act remains a key question.

The National Day parade in Penang could be called off if the air quality deteriorates significantly, with officials closely monitoring the haze situation. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow indicated that the event, scheduled to take place at Padang Kota Lama, might not proceed if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches a critical level of 200 or above.

This (haze situation) is also something that worries me.

— Chow Kon YeowChief Minister of Penang expressing concern over the ongoing haze.

"This (haze situation) is also something that worries me," Chow told reporters. He explained that because the parade involves outdoor activities, the state needs to "monitor this situation very carefully." The decision to cancel would be based on the API readings, with the Chief Minister stating, "If the API reading reaches 200 and above, it might be better for us not to proceed."

Chow also addressed the possibility of moving the celebration indoors. However, he suggested that this is not a viable option at this time. "Even if it were moved to a stadium, that is also an open area, in reality. So, this is something we need to consider very carefully," he said, indicating that the primary concern remains the outdoor nature of the event.

Because the parade involves outdoor activities, we need to monitor this situation very carefully.

— Chow Kon YeowChief Minister of Penang explaining the need for close monitoring of the haze for the National Day parade.

Separately, Chow commented on the long-discussed issue of a Cross-Border Haze Act. He stressed that the effectiveness of such legislation would be paramount if it were to be implemented. "A haze act can be drafted, whether at the national or regional level, but the main question is, how effective are the provisions in tackling the cross-border haze problem?" he asked, highlighting the need for practical solutions over mere legislative action.

If the API reading reaches 200 and above, it might be better for us not to proceed.

— Chow Kon YeowChief Minister of Penang on the potential cancellation of the National Day parade due to air pollution.

As of 2 p.m. on the day of the report, the API readings across four automatic air quality monitoring stations in Penang were at moderate levels, ranging between 64 and 97. This indicates that while the air quality is currently acceptable, the situation remains under close observation due to the potential for worsening haze.

Even if it were moved to a stadium, that is also an open area, in reality. So, this is something we need to consider very carefully.

— Chow Kon YeowChief Minister of Penang on the challenges of relocating the National Day parade indoors.
About this summary

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog