ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 23 — Air quality across Malaysia has improved, with no locations reporting unhealthy levels on the Air Pollutant Index (API) as of this morning, according to the Department of Environment.
Its director-general, Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, said that at 9am, 66 out of 68 air quality monitoring stations recorded “moderate” air quality, while the remaining two recorded “good” readings.
“Based on these readings, no stations have recorded any unhealthy air quality,” he told reporters.
“This improvement is a positive development amid concerns over recurring haze and dry weather in parts of the country and the region.”
Wan Abdul Latiff was speaking after the conclusion of the 14th emergency simulation exercise under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) at the Second Link crossing here today.
Despite the overall positive readings, Wan Abdul Latiff said the DOE has detected several hotspots in Sabah, Sarawak, and Pahang.
He said the department will closely observe these hotspots through 24-hour monitoring to ensure early detection and intervention.
“DOE personnel will increase their patrols, especially in high-risk areas such as plantations, peatlands, secondary forests, and landfill sites,” he said.
He also issued a stern warning that the DOE will not hesitate to take action under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 against any individuals or parties who conduct open burning, which he identified as a main contributor to haze in the country.
Malaysia has been experiencing increased air pollution recently, with nine areas in the country reporting unhealthy levels on Monday.
Under the API system, readings of 0-50 are categorised as “good,” 51-100 as “moderate,” 101-200 as “unhealthy,” 201-300 as “very unhealthy,” and any reading above 300 is considered “hazardous.”
