JAKARTA, Sept 24 (NNN-BERNAMA) — The Governor of Riau province in Indonesia Syamsuar has declared a state of haze emergency in the province as the Air Pollutant Index (API) exceeded the 500 mark there.
Syamsuar was quoted by local media announcing the declaration of the emergency status beginning Monday, Sept 23 until October 31.
The Governor said the Riau government would be also providing temporary evacuation centres especially for children and pregnant women.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Education Director in Indonesia (EMI), Prof Madya Dr Mior Harris Mior Harun, left for Pekanbaru this morning to get accurate information on the condition of Malaysian students in the province.
Since Sept 13, air quality in the Riau and Jambi provinces had been categorised as very unhealthy.
Students of Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim, Pekanbaru have been directed to go on leave since Sept 13. There are 214 Malaysian students at the university.
Meanwhile, it was also reported that the 110 Malaysian students at the Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Thaha Saifuddin in Jambi have been told to go on leave.
It is learnt that a number of Malaysian students (the figure has yet to be ascertained) have returned temporarily to Malaysia.
It is also learnt that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), Wisma Putra and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will hold a discussion in Kuala Lumpur for the evacuation process for Malaysian students.
–NNN-BERNAMA