The Malaysian government is reviewing the scale and location of the Aug 31 Merdeka Day celebrations in Putrajaya amid worsening haze conditions.
PUTRAJAYA: The government is considering scaling down or relocating the Merdeka Day celebrations in Putrajaya on Aug 31 amid worsening haze affecting several parts of the country.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet had taken note of the haze situation reported by the Malaysian Meteorological Department, which was affecting Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, as well as several areas in Sarawak.
He said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar had been tasked with holding discussions with relevant agencies and the Communications Ministry, which is responsible for organising the celebrations.
“The discussion will look at whether to change the scale, change the location or proceed at the same location, namely Dataran Putrajaya, ahead of Merdeka on Aug 31,” he told a press conference after the Cabinet meeting today.
Fahmi said the review would also cover the Merdeka eve programme scheduled to be held at Dataran Merdeka on Aug 30, organised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and CIMB.
He said Shamsul Azri was expected to chair a discussion this afternoon before a decision was made on the scale and location of the celebrations, as well as measures organisers would need to take to safeguard the health and safety of visitors, spectators and participants.
The government would also take into account advice from the Health Ministry and Education Ministry, particularly as the Merdeka programme involves about 1,500 secondary school students from three states participating in a human graphic performance.
Fahmi said there was no specific Air Pollutant Index (API) threshold of 200 that would automatically trigger cancellation of the celebrations.
“We will not cancel it, but whether the scale will be changed or the location relocated, we will wait for the outcome of the Chief Secretary this afternoon,” he said.
He said relocating the celebrations to another venue was among the proposals being considered, but its suitability and other factors would first have to be assessed.
