Sarawak experienced a significant deterioration in air quality on Monday, with 10 monitoring stations across the state reporting unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as haze conditions worsened. This development led to the temporary closure of schools in two districts to protect public health.
As of 6 p.m. local time, Kapit recorded the highest API reading at 173, followed closely by Sibu with 165, Sri Aman at 164, IPD Serian at 161, and Bintulu registering 160. Other affected areas included Kuching (159), Samalaju (158), Samarahan (156), Mukah (153), and Miri (148). Across the nearby state of Sabah, Politeknik Kota Kinabalu reported an unhealthy reading of 151.
The haze problem also extended to Peninsular Malaysia, where five locations registered unhealthy API levels. These were Cheras in Kuala Lumpur (156), Nilai (153) and Seremban (124) in Negri Sembilan, Shah Alam in Selangor (151), and Putrajaya (154). Meanwhile, 47 monitoring sites nationwide reported moderate air quality, and six areas maintained good air quality levels.
The API classification system defines readings from 101 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, and values exceeding 300 as hazardous. The surge in pollution is attributed largely to persistent dry weather conditions and ongoing burning activities in the region.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) noted that dry weather prevailed over much of southern ASEAN, with scattered to widespread hotspots identified in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra. Moderate to dense transboundary haze was observed over northern Borneo, with similar conditions affecting large parts of Kalimantan and southern Sumatra due to smoke from fires.
The ASMC forecast that dry conditions would continue across parts of southern ASEAN in the coming days, though showers were expected in Peninsular Malaysia, northern and central Borneo, and Sumatra. The centre also cautioned that fire-prone areas remain at risk for severe haze episodes, underscoring the ongoing challenges in managing cross-border pollution in the region.