Mask Up! Jakarta Air Quality Is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Today - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Air quality in Indonesian capital Jakarta remains unhealthy for sensitive groups this morning, according to global air quality monitoring platform IQAir. 

The air quality index (AQI) reading of Jakarta as of 07:45 a.m. local time was 147, making it the fifth most polluted city in the world this morning.

Residents and tourists alike are advised to wear masks when conducting outdoor activities.

Malaysia's Kuching remains the world's most polluted city, with an AQI reading of 277 this morning, which is classified as "very unhealthy." This came as weeks of wildfires across Kalimantan sent toxic haze across southern Southeast Asia.

Kinshasa, Congo, ranked second with 171, and Chengdu, China, ranked third with 159.

The Jakarta Provincial Government is implementing three principal strategies to improve air quality.

The first is expanding the reach of TransJabodetabek bus services to reduce the use of private vehicles, including routes such as Blok M-Alam Sutera and Blok M-PIK 2, and the planned opening of a new route from Blok M to Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung also called for the public to utilize the public transportation services provided by the government. Jakarta has even issued regulations regarding the implementation of free public transportation services for 15 groups of people.

Jakarta's transportation connectivity currently reached 92 percent, placing Jakarta at 17th globally and second in ASEAN after Singapore.

The transportation sector currently contributes 50 percent of Jakarta's exhaust emissions. Therefore, Pramono has set a target of operating 10,000 Transjakarta electric buses by 2030.

"If this can be achieved, it will significantly reduce the contribution to emissions," Pramono said while attending a Townhall Meeting discussing issues and solutions to address air pollution at Melting Pop, M Bloc, Kebayoran Baru, at the beginning of this year.

Besides transportation, the Jakarta Provincial Government also focuses on waste management, accelerating the construction of Intermediate Treatment Facilities (ITF) waste processing facilities in Sunter, Rorotan, Bantargebang, and West Jakarta. 

"If this can be done, it will significantly reduce or even lower emissions in Jakarta," he emphasized.