Four Sarawak locations record very unhealthy air quality as API exceeds 200
KUCHING (Aug 29): Four locations in Sarawak recorded very unhealthy air quality as of noon on Saturday, after Serian joined Lubok Antu, Lundu and Sri Aman in registering Air Pollutant Index (API) readings above 200. According to the Natural Resources and Environment Board’s (NREB) Daily Haze Watch, Lubok Antu recorded the highest API reading at [...] The post Four Sarawak locations record very…
On August 29, 2026, the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Kuching, Sarawak, exceeded 200, signaling very unhealthy air quality. This prompted the public to wear face masks when outdoors. Four locations - Lubok Antu, Lundu, Sri Aman, and Serian - recorded the highest API readings at 230, 228, 227, and 204, respectively. Eight other areas remained at the unhealthy level, while six were classified as moderate.
DoE deputy director-general Azuri Azizah Saedon reported that transboundary smoke from West Kalimantan was moving northwards into western Sarawak, with 1,738 hotspots detected in Kalimantan. The DoE has intensified enforcement and daily patrols in areas prone to open burning and activated the National Haze Action Plan. Schools and childcare centers are to close immediately if API readings exceed 200, while outdoor activities are halted if readings surpass 100.
Offences related to open burning under the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2024 can result in fines of up to RM1 million or imprisonment of up to five years, along with cooperation from the public in extinguishing small fires and reporting incidents.
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