KUALA LUMPUR – Toxic haze has aggressively returned to Sarawak, pushing Serian back into hazardous territory just 24 hours after a state-declared emergency was lifted.
The Air Pollutant Index (API) station at the Serian District Police Headquarters recorded a hazardous reading of 302 on Tuesday morning. His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, had originally consented to a state of emergency across the Serian Division on Friday before conditions temporarily eased, prompting the order to be lifted on Monday.
Data from the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) portal confirms the crisis extends far beyond Serian, with three neighboring Sarawak divisions registering “very unhealthy” air quality:
Kuching: 243
Samarahan: 237
Sri Aman: 232
Moderate to heavy haze blanketed the rest of the state, with Mukah (184), Sarikei (183), Samalaju (178), Bintulu (170), Miri ILP (169), Miri (169), and Sibu (166) all trapped in the “unhealthy” bracket.
Peninsular Malaysia is also choking under elevated pollution levels, with Peninsular West Coast industrial corridors hit hardest:
Selangor: Johan Setia logged the peninsula’s worst reading at 168, followed by Shah Alam (165), Banting (159), Klang (156), Petaling Jaya (154), and Kuala Selangor (152).
Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya: Batu Muda recorded 157, Putrajaya hit 155, and Cheras reached 154.
Perak: Tasek Ipoh (162), Seri Manjung (159), Tanjung Malim (156), and Pegoh Ipoh (152) all crossed into unhealthy levels.
Other Affected States: Unhealthy readings were recorded in Nilai (157) and Seremban (153) in Negeri Sembilan, Bukit Rambai (149) in Melaka, Labuan (128), and Segamat, Johor (106).
Across the country, 37 areas reported moderate air quality, while only two stations recorded good readings. Under official APIMS guidelines, API readings from 101 to 200 are deemed unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and 301 or higher hazardous. – September 8, 2026