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SURVEILLANCE is being conducted by the Environment Department (DOE) to prevent open burning cases in Johor during the ongoing hot spell.
Johor health and environmental committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the operation had been conducted every day since Feb 1 this year, including on weekends and public holidays.
“The open burning prevention operation was initiated by DOE following a Malaysian Meteorological Department notice of hot and dry weather.
“We hope to be able to prevent any open burning activities, especially in high-risk areas such as peatland and forest reserves,” Ling said when contacted.
He added that it was an offence for any person or company to conduct open burning, whether in the city or in rural areas.
“Open burning is a violation under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
“Any individual caught red-handed can also be fined RM2,000,” he said.
Johor Fire and Rescue Department (operations division) assistant director Azmi Ab Rahim said it had not responded to any serious cases of open burning this year.
“This is probably because we are still in the northeast monsoon transition period with Johor still getting rain in some areas, even though the weather is hot,” he said.
As of Feb 19, he said, they only received 186 reports of bush fires, 15 small farm fires, 66 fires involving rubbish and a single forest fire.
Azmi added that no hotspots had been detected in Johor so far.
“The department has also started conducting surveillance and spreading public awareness regarding open burning at all 34 fire stations in Johor.
“At the same time, we are also hoping that the public can play their role in not starting any fires or help put out small fires in their area immediately to prevent them from spreading,” he said.
Azmi said the department was also working with DOE to make sure all 11 tube wells and 77 check (small) dams in the state were well maintained.
