Sarawak haze persists despite nationwide improvement

Despite overall improvements in air quality across Malaysia, Sarawak continues to be the main hotspot for haze, according to the latest readings. Serian, in Sarawak, recorded the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 236 this afternoon, placing it in the very unhealthy category. Other Sarawakian areas such as Sri Aman, Samarahan, Kuching, and Sarikei also remain in the unhealthy range, with API readings of 199, 176, 174, and 115, respectively.

In contrast, Bintulu, Mukah, Miri, and Samalaju reported moderate air quality with API readings of 97, 90, 89, and 89, respectively. Nationally, 62 monitoring stations reported either moderate or good air quality, with 50 stations in the moderate category and 12 in the good category. The improvement in air quality can be attributed to localized rainfall and weather conditions in parts of Perak, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur, which helped clear the air naturally.

However, Sarawak may again experience an accumulation of haze at night, as conditions are expected to become drier, even with forecasts of morning and afternoon rain and thunderstorms. Authorities in affected areas, particularly Serian and western Sarawak, have advised residents to limit outdoor physical activity and wear face masks to minimize health risks.