Posted on by Kit

Environment Minister Palanivel sleeping on his job when Malaysians particularly in Johore are suffering from haze hazards

I am both impressed and dejected – impressed by the professionalism of the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) in recording and posting on its website the hourly Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) to provide accurate and timely information about air pollution levels in the island republic; dejected by the contrasting failure and lack of professionalism of the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) to provide prompt readings on its website of the Air Pollutant Index (API) from its 52 Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) locations in the country, although the API readings are only provided thrice a day at 7am, 11 am and 5 pm.

I was checking the 11 am API readings on the DOE website,
http://doe.gov.my/apims/, but the results only appeared after more than two hours, i.e. after 1 pm.

In contrast, when I checked the PSI readings of the Singapore NEA, its 1 pm reading promptly appeared at 1 pm sharp.

I can understand that with 52 API readings from 52 APIM locations throughout Malaysia, it is not practically possible to post the latest API readings for all the 52 locations on the dot of time, i.e. results for 11 am posted immediately at 11 am, but surely, it does not have to take more than two hours to post the latest API readings on its website.

Is it being unreasonable to expect the latest API readings to be posted within 10 minutes of the given time, i.e. 7 am, 11 am and 5 pm, if the system is efficient and professional?

Furthermore, why is it not possible for the DOE to post its API readings hourly?

This is an example where the new Environment Minister Datuk Seri S. Palanivel is sleeping on his job when Malaysians particularly in Johore are suffering from the haze hazards.

From the 11 am API (*) readings, Muar air quality deteriorated swiftly in the four hours from 7 am when it was “very unhealthy” with API 276 worsening to the hazardous level of 373, while the other three APIM locations in Johore continued on the higher side of the “unhealthy” levels, viz:

Location 7 am 11 am
Kota Tinggi 191 187
Larkin Lama 175 170
Muar 276 373
Pasir Gudang 192 190

It is regrettable that despite the haze emergency in Johore, the Department of Environment has failed to set up more APIM locations in the state to monitor the air pollution readings – such as Kulai, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Segamat etc. This is another example of Pananivel sleeping on his job as Environment Minister.

Other critical areas with “unhealthy” API readings at 11 am today are:

Malacca 176 178
Bukit Rambai 189 182
Nilai 119 113
Port Dickson 156 141
Seremban 106 109
Port Klang 118 139

* The Department of Environment lists API levels from 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 200 as unhealthy, and 201 to 300 as very unhealthy. Levels above 301 are dangerous.

37 Replies to “Environment Minister Palanivel sleeping on his job when Malaysians particularly in Johore are suffering from haze hazards”

  1. Kit,
    How can you compare Singapore with Malaysia. It’s like comparing a race horse to a donkey.
    One is an advanced country and the other is ruled by lazy country bumpkins.
    One believes in efficiency and promptness. The other moves like a tortoise with sense of urgency.
    One is squeaky clean and the other is utterly corrupt.
    That’s why is RM 2.51 to SG 1.00.
    Malaysia can never outdo Singapore is any field.

    2. DAP man,

      “Malaysia can never outdo Singapore is any field.”

      Sorry to disagree with you.

      One Malaysian politician can easily “out-corrupt” ten Singaporean politicians :)

      Hehheheheh!!!

  4. Singapore got Vivian Balakrishnan, President Scholar, Eye Surgeon, Major-General Singapore Arm Forces, Chief Executive of its largest hospital, we got Palanivel his resume summed up as Samy Vellu’s sycophant.

    It was incredible watching Palanivel so out of depth with the problem – he even said he was going to do what the Vivian already done..

    1. Never compare. It’s not a 1 man show. You have to lead your team members. Lead them along a straight path and they will follow you like a straight path. Lead them along a winding path, you might lose them along the way.

    2. BigJoe,

      ROFLMAO when reading your comparison between Balakrishnan and Palanivel :)

      I shouldn’t laugh because it shows the stark difference in approach towards appointing Ministers.

      Singapore appoints on the basis of merit, quality and skill.

      Malaysia appoints on the basis of boot-licking and arse-kissing.

  7. Well, well, well.
    Looks like the Indonesian government is stating the the haze is caused by big Malaysian conglomerates located there.
    And as such they can’t do anything about the haze!
    Excuses like these are also the stock replies of the Malaysian ruling party when accused of anything.
    They’ll just talk cock!!!

    1. Rich people can invest anywhere in the world. But that particular country must have some standards. It is polluting the air. So what is that international policy with regards to protecting the environment ? Go green. How to go green when all the green trees and grass are burned out ?

  8. Singapore is internationally renowned for its efficiency but we are notorious for our tardiness. Singapore officials work 8 hour per day, how many hours do our people work? I had requested more than 5 weeks ago from the police for an accident report and the police decision but till today, I have yet to receive the report. Luckily, I still managed to renew my insurance without losing my NCB. One good thing here is that you can accuse them of being inefficient but they are not ashamed of it.

  11. What can you expect of this BN regime?

    1. When you protest against Electoral fraud….
    -The will ask you to migrate to a country where you agree with their electoral system

    2.When you mention about some country where free education is provided by the government,
    – they will say.. LISTEN..LISTEN..LISTEN.. if you don’t like the way the status quo are, you migrate…. to the country that you mentioned…

    3. When the Mongolian delegation at the Global Summit of Women in Kuala Lumpur has urged the Malaysian government to provide answers on the mysterious death of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in Malaysia.
    — BN government said the case already handled…. hired killers caught/charged in court… The Hirer /Principal never being charged

    4. When Indian/Chinese complained about being treatedd as 2nd class or 3rd class Citizen, there were asked to “go back to IndiA or China…

    So in this UMNO led government…. mediocrity and fraudulent ways is their rights…. don’t question their rights!

    1. Nail polish are better done and stays instead of the indecible election ink .
      What free ? You mean owe ? It is compulsory you pay back.
      Case too complicated.
      Cannot understand the importance of trade, immigration and money.

  13. What happen to the so called cloud seeding? The government doing it or just another gimmick to cash in more. Just like the election blue ink, spend millions on a ink & somebody somewhere is filthy rich now..or the seed didn’t grow in the cloud cos cheap seed but claim A1 seeds? Instead of lending our seeds to Indonesia show the nation first the seeds really working. Till now I think those effected baldly state do not have a single drop of rain!

  14. Palanivel, please practise some real leadership. Get out of your comfortable seat and do some work! If you have to be told this, then you should not be an MP or minister! We know how you got there, together with the other UMNO crooks!

  15. Well, well, well.
    The Indons are indeed very strange creatures!
    Their government just raise the bus fare by the equivalent of 10 Malaysian sen and they’ll demonstrate and raise hell!
    But they are oblivious to the actual hell caused by the widespread burning of a massive number of chopped trees!!

  19. This morning, we are feel so sick of the air quality in Klang Valley. Imagine how much worse is JB air quality that is 7 times more than KL.
    I am sad, sick and tired of the authorities being too slow to respond to the situation, too slow in updating the rakyat and the issue has been many years, yet every time of this year, we are made to suffer. Who will compensate our medical bills, long term health issues and should our government send the task force to Indonesia to help extinguish the fire (on our tax payer’s money)

  20. This problem must be solved once and for all.
    Malaysia and Singapore cannot afford to take the lame excuses regularly trotted out by the idiotic Indons for the past decade or more.
    As far as the Indon government is concerned, perhaps it is using this haze to reduce their population!!
    By damaging their health!!!

  23. Malaysia is at least 30 years behind Singapore and is stagnant. The easy way out taken by the DOE is to pull the plug off so that the public cannot access the website and therefore cannot compliant that the info is late.

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