Board probes small-scale farmers’ possible involvement in recent bush fires

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By Wilfred Pilo

KUCHING. March 31: The Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) does not rule out the involvement of small-scale farmers in the recent bushfires in Tatau, Sibu, and Penasu in Mukah, says its Controller, Datu Jack Liam.

“We received some information about it. However, investigations are underway,” he said at the Forest Department Sarawak’s (FDS) Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House at Wisma Sabati here today.

He added that bushfires are under control—saying that heavy rainfall on Sunday night extinguished one area in Sibu, with firefighting efforts ongoing only in Penasu—and the NREB is investigating its causes.

He also stated that there are two provisions to prosecute the wrong parties.

For NREB, it could bring the case to the highest level by using the Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance 1958. The second provision, which carries a more severe penalty, is to impose the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

“But we will see how this is done and which provisions we will use,” he said.

Jack also clarified that there is currently no haze concern, as the air pollution index (API) remains at safe levels during this transition period from the monsoon to the dry season.

“There should still be rain in several places in Sarawak, so there has not been any presence of haze. But we are monitoring the situation after a week.” — DayakDaily

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