KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Air quality deteriorated across several states this morning, with 21 monitoring stations breaching unhealthy thresholds on the Air Pollutant Index (API), according to the Department of Environment (DOE).
Data from the DOE's environmental monitoring dashboard at 10.00am showed that nearly a third of the country's 68 air quality stations registered readings between 101 and 200.
Another 41 stations recorded moderate air quality, while only six maintained good air levels. No location breached very unhealthy or hazardous benchmarks, and all monitoring stations remained fully operational online.
Southern states bore the brunt of the smog, accounting for the country's highest pollution levels. Seremban in Negeri Sembilan and Larkin in Johor shared the nation's worst reading at 169, followed closely by Nilai at 167 and Bandaraya Melaka at 164.
Johor emerged as the most severely affected state, with seven stations logged in the unhealthy bracket. Beyond Larkin, elevated readings were recorded in Batu Pahat at 163, Pasir Gudang and Tangkak at 162, Kluang at 159, Pengerang at 157, and Segamat at 155.
Melaka saw all three of its monitoring stations slip into the unhealthy tier, with Bukit Rambai recording 162 and Alor Gajah logging 157 alongside the state capital. Negeri Sembilan also recorded a clean sweep of unhealthy readings, with Port Dickson posting 152 to join Seremban and Nilai.
Across the Klang Valley, the haze lingered over both federal territories and suburban centres. In Kuala Lumpur, Batu Muda recorded 162 and Cheras registered 152, while Putrajaya touched 151. Readings across Selangor proved milder, with Petaling Jaya posting 124 and Klang logging 113, the lowest among all 21 affected stations.
In East Malaysia, transboundary smoke pushed three stations in Sarawak into unhealthy territory. The air monitoring station at IPD Serian recorded 154, followed by Sri Aman at 152 and Kapit at 151.
Under national ambient air quality guidelines, API levels between 101 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. Health authorities advise high-risk groups, including young children, senior citizens, and individuals with cardiovascular or respiratory ailments, to avoid prolonged physical exertion outdoors and wear protective face masks if venturing outside.