Running head: AIR AND WATER POLLUTION IN MALAYSIA 1

Air and Water Issues in Malaysia

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AIR AND WATER POLLUTION IN MALAYSIA 2

Since the 1970s energy crisis in Malaysia, buildings have been designed to maintain an

efficient indoor environment. Buildings are sealed up which has led to poor ventilation. Air in

most of the buildings in the country compromises from microbial contaminants such as mold and

chemicals such as carbon monoxide. The contaminated air has harmed the health of the residents.

The buildings' design aimed at improving energy efficiency at the expense of clean air has

contributed to the occurrence of the sick building syndrome (SBS) which has affected a lot of

Malaysians (Aizat et al., 2009). Various research has concluded that SBS is common in buildings

with mechanical ventilation than in those with a regular ventilation system. Typically, SBS

causes headaches, dizziness, throat irritation, and personality change to infected persons.

SBS is a health complication resulting from ventilation, improving the ventilation

systems of buildings can help prevent the infection. Natural ventilation systems should be

emphasized to enhance the quality of air circulating in the premises.

Apart from air pollution, Malaysian also suffers from water pollution. Water pollution is

a severe problem in Malaysia with the country having only about 34% of clean water (Qureshi et

al., 2015). Some of the water crisis in the state originate from water pollution and institutional

issues. Water pollution has impacted the sustainability of water sources negatively. Water

pollution is still unsolved due to institutional problems. The country lacks a central agency that

manages water resources. Polluted water has impacted several citizens who have been diagnosed

with vector-borne diseases and water-borne diseases such as hepatitis.

Among the ways of reinstating water pollution are community clean-up and lobbying the

government. The citizens can organize clean-up days to remove litter from rivers or other water

sources or write to the government requesting it to tackle water pollution.

AIR AND WATER POLLUTION IN MALAYSIA 3

References
Syazwan Aizat, I., Juliana, J., Norhafizalina, O., Azman, Z. A., & Kamaruzaman, J. (2009).

Indoor air quality and sick building syndrome in Malaysian buildings. Glob J Health Sci,

1(2), 126-136.

Qureshi, M. I., Rasli, A. M., Awan, U., Ma, J., Ali, G., Alam, A., & Zaman, K. (2015).

Environment and air pollution: health services bequeath to grotesque menace.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(5), 3467-3476.