Muar in Johor, where the API index twice exceeded the ‘hazardous' 300 mark before noon today, had no 5pm data on the Department of Environment website.

This lead to the public asking why.

Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa on Facebook questioned: "Why stop updating API for Muar area? Air detector overload or afraid that the public will criticise our government's slow reaction?"

A DOE hotline officer who requested anonymity, explained to Malaysiakini that there were technical problems in Muar as their internet modem in Muar had broken down.

As a result they cannot retrieve data from the detector there.

They are now in the process of repairing the modem.

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