HAZE conditions in Sarawak worsened on Saturday, with 10 areas recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as smoke from Kalimantan continued to drift across the border.
As of 7.30am, Serian recorded the highest reading at 191, followed by Kuching at 181, Samarahan at 178, Sri Aman at 174 and Sarikei at 171, according to the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS).
Sibu recorded an API reading of 160, while Samalaju, Bintulu and Mukah each registered 156. Miri recorded 151.
Bukit Rambai in Melaka was the only other area outside Sarawak to record an unhealthy reading, at 140.
The worsening air quality came a day after 591 schools under 10 District Education Offices in Sarawak were ordered to close amid deteriorating haze conditions.
The affected schools were under the Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu and Betong district education offices.
The Department of Environment (DOE) said the regional haze map issued by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre showed persistent dry weather across much of the southern ASEAN region, apart from rainfall over northeastern Borneo and northern Sumatra.
Widespread hotspots were detected across Kalimantan, while isolated hotspots were recorded elsewhere in the southern ASEAN region.
The DOE said moderate to dense transboundary smoke plumes were detected over West Kalimantan and were moving northwards into western Sarawak.
The department has stepped up enforcement and daily patrols in areas at risk of open burning while monitoring API readings.
The National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan have also been activated to coordinate government agencies’ response to open burning and the worsening haze situation.
An API reading of zero to 50 indicates good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are classified as hazardous. - August 22, 2026
