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Malaysia records unhealthy air quality in around 30 areas as haze spreads

Much of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Sarawak were affected on Tuesday (Aug 25), with authorities saying haze was moving in “from various directions”. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded “unhealthy” air quality in around 30 areas nationwide on Tuesday (Aug 25) as it grapples with haze linked to fires in neighbouring Indonesia. Twenty-nine areas had unhealthy Air Pollutant Index

Source: Channel NewsAsia · August 25, 2026 at 2:01 PM · AI-assisted report

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Malaysia records unhealthy air quality in around 30 areas as haze spreads
Photo: GerifalteDelSabana / CC BY-SA 4.0

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 AUGUST 2026 —

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Malaysia Reports Unhealthy Air Quality in 30 Areas as Transboundary Haze Worsens

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Malaysia recorded unhealthy air quality in nearly 30 areas nationwide on Tuesday as transboundary haze from Indonesia’s fires spread across the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Sarawak. The Department of Environment (DOE), under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, reported 29 locations with unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 2pm.

The highest reading of 182 was recorded in Serian, Sarawak, followed by Johan Setia in Selangor (173) and Sri Aman in Sarawak (170). Other affected areas included Shah Alam (162), Kuching (160), Tanjung Malim and Taiping in Perak (157 and 155 respectively), Kuala Lumpur (154), and Segamat, Batu Pahat, and Tangkak in Johor (152 each). A total of 38 monitoring stations recorded moderate air quality.

Earlier on Tuesday, 32 areas had unhealthy readings, according to local media. The DOE attributed the worsening conditions to haze moving in “from various directions,” citing 287 hotspots detected in Kalimantan and 65 in Sumatra by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre on Monday. Eleven hotspots were also recorded in Malaysia—eight in Sarawak, two in Johor, and one in Selangor.

Moderate to dense transboundary haze was observed in West Kalimantan, moving northwards toward western Sarawak, while smoke plumes were detected over central and southern Sumatra. The DOE has intensified enforcement and daily patrols to curb open burning, with the National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan activated earlier this month following unhealthy API readings in Sarawak.

Under the haze action plan, outdoor activities must be suspended when API exceeds 100, and schools, kindergartens, and nurseries must close immediately when readings surpass 200. Cloud seeding operations will be conducted if API remains above 150 for over 24 hours. The DOE also urged landowners to monitor fire-prone areas, including landfills, forests, peatlands, plantations, and agricultural and industrial zones, to prevent deliberate or accidental burning.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad reported a sharp rise in asthma and upper respiratory tract infections due to the haze, while Sarawak authorities ordered a two-day closure of 591 schools across 10 districts amid worsening conditions.

The haze crisis follows a pattern of recurring transboundary pollution in Malaysia, often linked to agricultural burning in Indonesia. The DOE’s enforcement efforts and cross-agency coordination under the haze action plan aim to mitigate immediate health risks and environmental damage. However, the persistence of hotspots in neighboring regions suggests continued vulnerability to seasonal haze episodes.

Analysts note that while Malaysia has strengthened its haze mitigation strategies, the effectiveness depends on regional cooperation, particularly with Indonesia, to address the root causes of land and forest fires. The current situation underscores the need for sustained environmental measures to reduce reliance on emergency responses during haze seasons.

Related: Kuala Lumpur

Reporting based on Channel NewsAsia. Figures and claims are subject to revision as the story develops. DomainFork publishes editorial context, not investment advice — see our editorial standards.