Haze leaves nine Sarawak areas with unhealthy air

Photo courtesy of Bernama

Air quality remained unhealthy across nine areas of Sarawak on Wednesday morning as transboundary haze continued to affect the state, with Serian recording the highest Air Pollutant Index reading at 194.

Nine monitoring areas remain unhealthy

The Air Pollutant Index Management System recorded unhealthy readings at 8am on 12 August in Serian, Kuching, Samarahan, Sarikei, Bintulu, Sri Aman, Samalaju, Sibu and Miri. The number of affected areas had fallen from 11 at the same time on Tuesday morning, although pollution remained widespread across the state.

Serian's reading of 194 was close to the upper limit of the unhealthy category. Kuching registered 172, Samarahan 170 and Sarikei 161. Bintulu and Sri Aman each recorded 157, followed by Samalaju at 152, Sibu at 151 and Miri at 133.

API readings show the severity

Malaysia's API scale classifies readings from zero to 50 as good and 51 to 100 as moderate. Readings between 101 and 200 are unhealthy, while 201 to 300 are very unhealthy and anything above 300 is hazardous. The latest figures therefore placed all nine affected Sarawak locations in the unhealthy band.

The index is updated hourly using information from 68 air-quality monitoring stations nationwide. Conditions can change during the day, so a morning reading should be treated as a snapshot rather than a forecast for the entire day.

What it means for foreigners in Malaysia

Foreign residents and visitors in Sarawak should check the latest official API reading before outdoor exercise, sightseeing or long road journeys. Where readings remain unhealthy, reducing prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity is a sensible precaution, particularly for children, older people and anyone with breathing or heart conditions. Travellers moving between Kuching, Miri, Sibu and other affected areas should not assume conditions will be the same at every stop. Keep accommodation windows closed if smoke is noticeable indoors, follow local health advice and seek medical help if haze exposure causes persistent breathing difficulty or other concerning symptoms.

12 August 2026