Johor recorded the country’s highest unhealthy air pollution levels on Sunday as haze conditions worsened, with Segamat and Batu Pahat registering an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 156 at 1 pm.
Kluang followed with an API reading of 153, while Tangkak recorded 152, according to the latest Department of Environment data.
Nine areas nationwide recorded unhealthy air quality, up from eight at noon. Nilai and Seremban in Negeri Sembilan recorded readings of 149 and 137 respectively, while Samarahan in Sarawak recorded 148.
Larkin in Johor recorded 119, while Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur entered the unhealthy category with a reading of 102.
Astro AWANI reported that 56 areas recorded moderate air quality, while only three monitoring stations registered good readings — Langkawi at 32, Kangar at 34 and Sandakan at 42.
API readings of 101 to 200 are classified as unhealthy, while 201 to 300 are considered very unhealthy and readings above 300 are hazardous.
The public, particularly children, older people and those with asthma or chronic respiratory conditions, have been advised to reduce outdoor activities and wear face masks when necessary in affected areas.
