Environment news in Malaysia
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China briefs embassies on DNA sampling for foreign victims missing in Tibet floods
China has told foreign embassies how DNA samples will be collected from families of foreign nationals missing after the 26 August floods and mudslides on the Nepal-Tibet border. Nepal reports 1,385 dead and 5,130 still missing, while Xizang has 43 dead and 519 missing, including 261 foreigners.
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Flood in Larut Matang and Selama: 76 evacuees at Dewan Changkat Larah relief centre
Seventy-six people from 24 families are sheltering at a temporary relief centre at Dewan Changkat Larah in Kamunting, Larut Matang and Selama, Perak, after flooding. The number rose from 69 at 4am to 76 at 8am, with evacuees from Taman Larah Damai, Kampung Changkat, Taman Lela and Taman Kamunting Mutiara.
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Unhealthy API readings in Pasir Gudang, Larkin, Cheras and five other areas
Air quality across most of Malaysia was moderate as of 7am, but several monitoring stations recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings. The highest were Pasir Gudang (174), Larkin (169), Cheras (167), Shah Alam (166), Nilai (166), Seremban (164), Samarahan (163) and Kuching (154). The public is advised to reduce outdoor activities in affected areas.
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37 areas record unhealthy API readings, Serian highest at 188
Air Pollutant Index readings in 37 areas across Malaysia were at unhealthy levels as of 7am today. Serian district in Sarawak recorded the highest reading at 188, followed by Johan Setia (183) and Pasir Gudang (174). Another 31 areas recorded moderate API readings.
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3,736 ageing trees in Penang show early health warnings
A total of 3,736 of Penang's 12,500 ageing trees show early signs of health problems needing monitoring. State exco Jason H'ng said 167 high-risk trees are in George Town and 77 have already been felled by MBPP in phases from August through 2027.
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PERHILITAN director-general retires after 36 years
Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim officially ended his tenure as Director-General of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) on 8 September after more than 36 years of service. During his leadership, he strengthened the Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah and efforts to conserve the Malayan Tiger, including the construction of the Malayan Tiger Conservation Centre in Bukit Rengit, Lanchang, Pahang.
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Flood in Changkat Larah: evacuation centre opens in Kamunting tonight
Flooding in Changkat Larah, Kamunting, in the Larut Matang and Selama district led to a temporary evacuation centre opening at Dewan Changkat Larah at 8.30pm tonight. Main roads in Taman Larah Damai and Taman Lela were reported flooded or cut off, and the number of victims is not yet confirmed.
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Singapore studying nuclear energy with open mind, says Grace Fu at IAEA conference
Singapore is studying whether nuclear energy could be viable, with an open mind but mindful of its constraints as a small, densely populated city-state, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna. The country will undergo its first Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review with the IAEA in 2027 and is building capabilities to assess advanced nuclear technologies including small modular reactors.
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Sultan Nazrin: Islamic finance can fund climate transition
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah told the 17th SC-OCIS Roundtable at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in the United Kingdom that Islamic finance principles are suited to financing the climate transition, citing sukuk, waqf and green financing. Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said Malaysia sits in a climate-vulnerable region and flood losses are easily underestimated.
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500 hawksbill turtle hatchlings released at Kertih turtle sanctuary
A total of 500 one-day-old hawksbill turtle hatchlings were released into the sea at the Ma' Daerah Kertih Turtle Sanctuary in Terengganu today under the 2026 Nature Sustainability Programme organised by the Terengganu branch of the Girl Guides Association Malaysia. The Regent of Terengganu, Tengku Muhammad Ismail Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, released several hatchlings and called on the public to protect the environment and marine ecosystems.
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Cause of fish deaths along Sarawak River still unknown, says Dr Safiee
Hundreds of fish have been found dead along the Sarawak River waterfront, particularly around Kampung Boyan and Kampung Gersik in Kuching. The Sarawak Rivers Board, together with the state Agriculture Department and NREB, is awaiting laboratory results from water and fish samples taken on 12 and 14 September. The cause of the deaths has not yet been determined.
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Himalayan glaciers melting faster, study warns of water security threat
A study warns that Himalayan glaciers are melting faster than before, threatening the water security of millions by mid-century. It follows an August glacier collapse on the Nepal-Tibet border that killed at least 1,300 people and left over 5,300 missing.
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Rare bowmouth guitarfish recorded in Singapore waters after nearly 30 years
A rare bowmouth guitarfish was officially recorded in Singapore waters for the first time in almost 30 years, after fishermen filmed one near Pidok jetty on 29 October 2022. The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum published a report on the sighting, and researchers warn that if the species dies out, an 88-million-year evolutionary lineage would be lost.
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European heatwave cuts Belgian potato and dairy output, Asia exports at risk
A summer of temperatures near 40°C in southern Belgium has cut cattle fertility, raised mortality and reduced milk output by about 5 per cent, with farmers reporting income falls of up to 40 per cent. Smaller potatoes and apples threaten Belgium's processed-fries exports, of which East and Southeast Asia take 8 per cent, while France's corn harvest is forecast to drop 35 per cent. Europe's dairy industry says supply to Asia should hold for now.
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Transboundary haze cited as a major long-term risk factor for lung cancer in Malaysia
The Lung Cancer Network Malaysia warns that seasonal transboundary haze and long-term PM2.5 exposure are significant contributors to lung cancer risk in Malaysia. The group urges preventative measures and calls on Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, to push regional action at health minister level.
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Sewage discharge turns Pantai Panjang waterway black, Terengganu DOE says holding tanks not treatment
A waterway at Pantai Panjang on Pulau Redang has turned black and foul-smelling, with pollution linked to sewage overflow from nearby resorts. The Terengganu Department of Environment says holding tanks used by resort operators do not meet the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009, and the state says the problem has persisted for years despite RM100,000 spent on a temporary diversion.
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Sabah records 1,551 open burning cases since March
Sabah recorded 1,551 open burning cases between March 1 and Sept 13 this year, according to the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department. Bush and cogon grass fires made up 1,012 cases (65.2 per cent), followed by forest fires with 381 cases (24.6 per cent). Director Mohd Pisar Aziz urged the public to avoid open burning during dry weather and said the department will strengthen hotspot surveillance and operational readiness.
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Anwar raises cross-border forest fires with Prabowo at BRICS dinner
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised the issue of cross-border forest fires and the West Asia conflict in informal talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit dinner in New Delhi. Anwar also renewed his invitation for Prabowo to visit Malaysia to finalise pending bilateral matters. Recent reports show a sharp spike in forest and peatland fires across Kalimantan and Sumatra.
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Indonesia keeps 53 aircraft on standby as 592 hotspots detected
Indonesia is keeping 53 aircraft on standby to fight forest and land fires even as hotspots decline in Central and West Kalimantan. The Forestry Ministry recorded 592 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Sunday night, with Central Kalimantan highest at 89, followed by South Sumatra with 49. Three CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Japan are reinforcing water-bombing operations.
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MSU hosts two-day SDG-ESG symposium at Shah Alam campus
Management and Science University (MSU) and Times Higher Education held the two-day SDG-ESG Synergy Symposium from 3 September at the Performing Arts Theatre on MSU's main campus in Shah Alam. The event brought together leaders and experts from higher education, government and industry to discuss the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles. MSU also reported 950 documented SDG initiatives between 2022 and 2025.
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Bowmouth guitarfish filmed at Bedok Jetty, first Singapore record since 1995
A bowmouth guitarfish was filmed by anglers at Bedok Jetty on Oct 29, 2022, and formally documented in a report published by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum on Aug 31. It is the first confirmed record of the critically endangered species in Singapore waters since a specimen was netted off Marine Parade in 1995.
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Report: East Asian coral reefs hold steady as world's reefs shrink
An Aug 31 report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network found coral cover in the East Asian seas - including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - has held steady over four decades, bucking the global decline driven by frequent marine heatwaves. Singapore-based researchers who contributed to the report say reefs in the region may carry heat-tolerant traits or microbes.
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Anwar and Prabowo meet in New Delhi: talks on forest fires and Iran war tensions
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met on September 12 on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi to discuss severe forest fires and Iran war tensions affecting the region. Smoke from fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra has pushed Malaysia's air quality to unhealthy levels, with Sarawak's Serian recording the highest API reading of 178. Anwar will next travel to Kerala before departing for the Maldives on September 14.
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MTPIN member urges Malaysia to act early on Super El Nino risk
National Climate Change Action Council (MTPIN) member Mogesh Sababathy has urged Malaysia to take early action against a possible Super El Nino. He warned that prolonged heat without rain could strain water supply, food, public health and the economy. He proposed coordinating planting schedules, checking irrigation systems and supporting farmers.