Haze worsens across Malaysia, with 38 areas recording unhealthy air quality

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded “unhealthy” air quality across 38 areas nationwide on Tuesday (Sep 15) morning, as Sarawak continued to witness the worst haze conditions in the country. 

A monitoring station in Serian, Sarawak recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 188, the highest nationwide as of 8.45am, according to the Department of Environment, under Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. 

Under Malaysia’s API scale, readings from 0 to 50 are classified as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy and above 300 as hazardous. 

This comes more than a week after Serian became the first district in the country this year to declare a state of emergency, after its API reading exceeded 500 on Sep 4. The emergency declaration was lifted three days later, after air quality improved to below hazardous levels.

Close behind Serian was Johan Setia in Selangor state which recorded an API of 183. 

Meanwhile, Johor had the most areas recording unhealthy API levels in the country on Tuesday morning, including Pasir Gudang at 172, Larkin at 169 and Tangkak at 166, reported Malay Mail. 

The Klang Valley area in Selangor was also heavily affected by the haze, with API readings above 150 across several areas, including Cheras in Kuala Lumpur at 170, Shah Alam at 167 and Putrajaya at 165.

Elevated API levels were also recorded elsewhere, reaching 167 in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, and 163 in Samarahan, Sarawak. 

Sarawak, which borders Indonesia on Borneo, has been among the Malaysian states worst affected by the transboundary haze from forest fires in the neighbouring country.