Selangor MB Amirudin Shari will meet the State Education Department to discuss emergency measures and SOPs for the current haze and upcoming Super El Nino.
SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari will meet the State Education Department (JPNS) tomorrow to discuss follow-up measures regarding the haze situation currently affecting the state.
He said the meeting would look into the necessary measures, including those involving school operations, based on developments in air quality and reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and Department of Environment (DOE).
“I am waiting for the final meteorological report to see how much longer this situation is expected to last. We have plans to provide assistance, for example, to special education schools. We will see how the situation develops over the next day or two, as the school session will end around November, before the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations.
“I will meet JPNS tomorrow to look at what immediate follow-up measures we can take. However, we have a standard, meaning that if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading reaches 200, we will close schools,” he said.
He said this after presenting aid to 500 recipients under the Jelajah Sejahtera MADANI – Skim Insurans Kesejahteraan Rakyat (SIKR) 3.0 programme at the Selangor International Trade Centre (SITC), here today.
He said follow-up measures would be coordinated with JPNS in accordance with the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) should air quality deteriorate further, while the state administration would also continue to strengthen coordination with relevant technical agencies to ensure public safety and health on an ongoing basis.
“In fact, what is more concerning is the period from around February to April next year, as the Super El Nino phenomenon is forecast to persist until April. This is the beginning of the hot season, and we may face hot weather and a lack of rainfall.
“Close monitoring is crucial to ensure that any preventive measures can be implemented without affecting the academic schedule or the safety of students,” he said.
In another development, Amirudin said the raw water supply in Selangor remained stable and sufficient to meet domestic needs ahead of the monsoon transition phase.
He said based on cumulative data to date, the state’s water supply could last for a minimum of three months to a maximum of nine months, depending on weather conditions and rainfall.
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AMIRUDIN-HAZE 3 (LAST) SHAH ALAM
Earlier, Amirudin launched the Jelajah Sejahtera MADANI – SIKR 3.0 programme, a strategic collaboration between the Implementation Coordination Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM), and Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad (PruBSN).
A total of RM20 million has been allocated to provide 12 months of insurance coverage to 250,000 heads of households (KIR) from poor and hardcore poor families registered in the eKasih system, against mishaps such as death, accidents and permanent disability.
The initiative also includes free health screenings for 500 households through PruBSN Prihatin.
The comprehensive initiative aims to strengthen the social safety net, help families facing hardships, and support the MADANI Government’s aspiration towards social stability and the sustained well-being of the people.
