AIR quality deteriorated across several parts of Malaysia this morning, with 19 areas recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 8am.
Data from the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) showed that three affected areas were in Sarawak, with Serian recording the highest reading nationwide at 168, followed by Samarahan at 167 and Kuching at 108.
Several areas in Negeri Sembilan also recorded unhealthy readings, with Nilai registering 162 and Seremban 159.
In the Klang Valley, Johan Setia in Selangor recorded an API reading of 160, followed by Shah Alam at 159, Klang at 152, Banting at 150 and Petaling Jaya at 122.
Putrajaya also recorded an unhealthy reading of 160, while Batu Muda was the only affected monitoring station in Kuala Lumpur, with an API reading of 152.
In southern Malaysia, two areas in Johor recorded unhealthy readings, with Tangkak registering 153 and Segamat 103.
In Melaka, Bukit Rambai recorded an API reading of 151, while Alor Gajah registered 144.
Taiping was the only affected area in Perak, with a reading of 116.
Meanwhile, Department of Environment data showed that only two areas nationwide recorded good air quality — Kangar in Perlis and Langkawi in Kedah.
A further 47 areas recorded moderate API readings, including locations in Kedah, Penang, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.
An API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality, while readings of 51 to 100 are considered moderate.
Readings between 101 and 200 are classified as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.
The API is updated hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.
Members of the public can obtain the latest air quality information through the Department of Environment's official channels, including the EQMS portal and the MyJAS EQMS application on Google Play and the App Store. - August 26, 2026
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