Sarawak could get more dedicated air-quality monitoring stations under a federal effort to improve coverage, especially during transboundary haze. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup told the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 22 that areas without their own stations currently rely on regional data from the nearest station. For communities outside the existing network, that distinction matters: a nearby reading gives a regional picture, rather than a measurement taken in their own neighbourhood. TVS reported that the Department of Environment has 68 monitoring stations nationwide. That is the Malaysian total, not the number in Sarawak. The minister did not give a number, location list or installation timetable for additional Sarawak stations in the reported reply. He also said MetMalaysia had developed MyCMAQ, an air-quality modelling platform able to forecast potential pollution and haze up to five days ahead across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The two tools serve different purposes: station readings describe monitored conditions, while MyCMAQ provides an advance indication of what may develop. A five-day forecast is not a guarantee that haze will occur at a particular Kuching address.

Kuching recorded an Air Pollutant Index of 65 at 8am on Oct 22, within the moderate band. None of the 21 Sarawak locations in the morning update was in the unhealthy category. The Borneo Post’s report of the Natural Resources and Environment Board readings put nearby Samarahan at 71, Serian and Tebedu at 68, and Lundu at 65. These are readings for Thursday morning, not a forecast for the rest of the day. Only three locations were in the good band: Lawas at 29, Bario at 33 and Limbang at 35. The other 18 were moderate, with Betong recording the highest figure at 84, followed by Sri Aman at 83. For Kuching readers, the distinction is that local air was moderate, not good, even though all stations were below the unhealthy band. The stated classifications put readings of 0–50 in the good category and 51–100 in moderate. The 8am snapshot gives a dated reference for comparing later updates; it does not establish that haze has ended or that conditions will remain unchanged.

Kuching’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose to 71 at 4pm on Oct 17, from 65 at noon, while all 21 monitoring stations in Sarawak were in the moderate band. The Borneo Post reported the readings from the Natural Resources and Environment Board’s Sarawak API update. Nearby readings at 4pm included Serian at 79, Samarahan at 77 and Lundu at 73. Betong recorded 84, the highest figure in the report. The statewide moderate classification did not mean every location was improving. Kuching and Samarahan rose during the afternoon, while Miri eased from 71 to 69 and Limbang from 52 to 51. Kapit moved from the good band at noon, with 49, to moderate at 53 by 4pm. API readings of 51–100 fall in the moderate category; 0–50 is good. These figures describe the Oct 17 afternoon observation, not a forecast for the night or the following morning. Anyone checking conditions for a later journey or outdoor activity should use a newer official reading rather than treat this snapshot as live.

Kuching recorded an Air Pollutant Index of 88 at 5pm on October 14, while Lubok Antu was the highest reported Sarawak station at 125, in the unhealthy band. The Borneo Post, citing the Natural Resources and Environment Board, reported readings of 96 in Samarahan and 99 in Serian. Both remained in the moderate band, which runs from 51 to 100; unhealthy starts at 101. The figures show why a statewide haze description cannot substitute for a station reading. Sibu and Lawas also recorded 88, while Miri was at 80 and Bintulu at 81. All other locations with available readings were moderate in that snapshot. Betong had no latest reading available in the report: missing data is not a zero or a clean-air result. These are the October 14, 5pm readings, not a forecast or a live measurement for the rest of the evening. A later station update is needed to establish whether conditions have changed.

Kuching recorded an Air Pollutant Index of 82 and Miri 96 at 6pm on October 11, both in the moderate category. The Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board's evening table lists moderate air quality at all 20 stations with available readings. Nearby Samarahan was at 74 and Serian at 70. Bintulu and Samalaju each recorded 93, while Lundu was at 92. Betong's station was marked as having no latest data, so it is not included in that count. The evening snapshot is lower than the 3pm readings of 85 in Kuching and 98 in Miri reported by The Borneo Post. Miri had briefly reached an unhealthy 104 at noon before returning to the moderate category at 1pm. That noon reading should not be mistaken for the city's evening status. These are readings for a stated hour, not a forecast for the rest of the night or a decision on tomorrow's school arrangements. Residents checking conditions for their own area should use the latest local station reading on the Department of Environment's APIMS portal rather than an earlier haze alert.

Samarahan remained in the Unhealthy air-quality band at noon on Sunday, October 4, with an Air Pollutant Index of 151. Kuching stood at 91, in the Moderate band. The noon figures reported from the Natural Resources and Environment Board’s monitoring table showed only a small change from 8am: Samarahan had fallen from 152 to 151, while Kuching eased from 94 to 91. The neighbouring areas remained in different categories despite both readings declining. Conditions did not improve everywhere around Kuching. Lundu rose from 73 in the morning to 84 at noon, although it stayed Moderate. Serian fell from 99 to 95. The Moderate band covers readings from 51 to 100; Unhealthy runs from 101 to 200. A one-point drop at Samarahan therefore did not change its category. These are midday readings, not a forecast for the rest of Sunday. For a later comparison, check the latest local station and its timestamp on the NREB monitoring portal rather than using Kuching’s figure for Samarahan or carrying the noon snapshot into the evening.

Seven of Sarawak’s 21 monitoring stations were in the unhealthy API band at 4pm Tuesday, Sept 29, with Serian highest at 175. Kuching recorded 158 and Samarahan 157. Lundu was at 161, Betong and Samalaju at 116 each, and Lubok Antu at 108. By late afternoon, Sri Aman and Kanowit had eased just below the unhealthy threshold, while Samalaju had moved into it. Unhealthy air is the 101–200 API band. Kuching and Samarahan remained in that range in the 4pm snapshot, so check the latest reading before spending a long time outdoors; these figures are not live readings.

At 8am Thursday, Lundu’s Air Pollutant Index (API) had risen to 223, in the very unhealthy band. Serian stood at 218 and Kanowit at 216, while Kuching was at 195, classed as unhealthy. Under Malaysia’s API scale, readings from 101 to 200 are unhealthy and 201 to 300 are very unhealthy. These figures are a morning snapshot from monitoring stations, not a uniform reading for every neighbourhood. The stations are updated through the day, so check the latest APIMS reading before planning extended outdoor activity. People with breathing or heart conditions should take extra care while the haze persists.

Sarawak accounted for 11 of Malaysia’s 21 “unhealthy” air-quality stations at 8.30am on Monday, with Kuching recording an API reading of 158. Serian was the highest in the state at 168, followed by Kapit at 166 and Sri Aman at 160. Miri and Bintulu also recorded 158, while Samarahan was 157, Sibu 156 and Samalaju 155. The readings show the haze remains a broad state-level problem rather than being confined to one town. The Department of Environment said it is continuing round-the-clock monitoring. Wind direction and hotspot activity can change the numbers during the day, so residents should check the latest API before deciding on prolonged outdoor activity, especially if they are in a vulnerable group.

Haze worsened across Sarawak on Friday, with Kuching still in the unhealthy range and Kanowit becoming the state’s first monitoring station to reach the very unhealthy category. Kanowit’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose from 186 at 8am to 209 at 2pm, according to Sarawak’s API status data. Kapit also moved from moderate to unhealthy at 152. Kuching improved from 192 at 8am to 178 at 2pm, while Samarahan fell from 184 to 171 and Lundu from 176 to 142. Even so, 13 locations remained in the unhealthy band at 2pm, including Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu, Betong and Sri Aman. An API reading of 101 to 200 is classified as unhealthy, while 201 to 300 is very unhealthy. Bario was the only location in the good category at 2pm, with a reading of 50. Residents should check the latest station reading before spending long periods outdoors, especially if they are children, older adults or have respiratory and heart conditions.

Sarawak’s haze thickened on Friday morning, with 13 monitoring stations moving into the unhealthy range and Kuching recording an API reading of 192. The 8am reading was up from 174 at 4pm on Thursday. Kanowit rose sharply from 58 to 186, while Samarahan reached 184, Serian 180, Lundu 176 and Tebedu 166. Several central Sarawak stations also saw steep overnight increases: Sibu climbed to 158, Sarikei to 157, Sri Aman and Bintulu to 153, and Mukah and Lubok Antu to 104. Kapit was the only station to move into the moderate band among the locations highlighted in the morning update, at 93. Miri and ILP Miri remained moderate at 61 and 58, while Limbang and Bario were in the good range at 49 and 12. The API is a 24-hour running measure. Readings from 101 to 200 are classified as unhealthy, so conditions can change with the next update. People in affected areas should check the latest readings and cut down prolonged outdoor activity while the air remains poor.

Kuching’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose to 95 at 8am on Sept 17, moving close to the unhealthy range but remaining moderate. Serian recorded 92 and Tebedu 90 at the same reading. Samarahan and Lundu were both at 77, while Lubok Antu and Betong stood at 76. The readings were higher than the previous 8pm figures in most of these areas. Samalaju also moved from good to moderate at 58, while Kanowit and Mukah improved into the good range. API readings from 51 to 100 are classified as moderate, and 0 to 50 as good. Conditions can change through the day, so people planning prolonged outdoor activity should check the latest official reading rather than rely on this morning’s snapshot.

<p><strong>Air quality changed quickly across Sarawak on Saturday morning.</strong> Four areas moved back above 200 on the Air Pollution Index (API), after rain had briefly improved readings the day before.</p> <p>At 10am, Serian recorded 252, while Lundu and Lubok Antu were both at 217 and Tebedu at 214. Kuching was 189; Sri Aman 198, Samarahan 193 and Betong 189. Miri, Lawas, Limbang, Kapit and Bario remained in the moderate range at that snapshot.</p> <p>The practical point is that one reading is not a day-long forecast. Smoke and wind can change the number within hours, so anyone planning outdoor work should check the <a href="https://eqms.doe.gov.my/" rel="nofollow ugc">Department of Environment Malaysia air-quality portal</a> for the latest reading before leaving. People with breathing conditions, children and older adults should avoid prolonged exertion when the reading is unhealthy or worse; seek medical advice if symptoms become serious.</p> <p>This update reports the Saturday 10am snapshot, not a permanent condition for every town. The next useful check is the live reading for the specific area you are travelling to.</p>

Serian haze worsens again as API reaches very unhealthy level Serian’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose to 202 by 11am on Friday, pushing the district back into the very unhealthy range after rain brought lower readings earlier in the morning. The Natural Resources and Environment Board readings show Serian climbing from 197 at 9am to 202 two hours later. Lundu recorded the second-highest reading at 192, followed by Tebedu at 185, Kuching at 182 and Samarahan at 181. At 8am, Serian and Lundu were at 195 and 177, respectively. The later figures show that the morning improvement was not holding across all monitoring stations. For people in Kuching and nearby districts, conditions can change within hours. Check the latest API reading for the area you are heading to, and limit prolonged outdoor activity when readings remain unhealthy or worse.

Lundu and Serian recorded hazardous air quality early Tuesday, as haze conditions worsened across Sarawak. Readings at 6am put Lundu at API 329 and Serian at 303. Kuching was at 241, with Samarahan at 239, Tebedu at 242, Sri Aman at 230 and Lubok Antu at 212 — all in the very unhealthy range. The latest figures mark a sharp deterioration from Monday: Lundu had been at 260 at noon, while Serian rose from 222 to 303. Other stations, including Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Miri and Betong, remained unhealthy. Kapit and Limbang were below 100, while Bario recorded 38. Air quality can change through the day, so people in affected areas should check the latest official API reading before planning prolonged outdoor activity, especially for children, older people and those with breathing problems.

Serian’s haze emergency is over, but air quality remains poor in parts of Sarawak. The Prime Minister’s Office said on Sept 7 that the King had consented to end the declaration after Serian’s latest API readings fell out of the hazardous range. The emergency was declared on Sept 4, when the index went above 500. That decision does not mark the end of the haze episode. Kota Samarahan recorded an API reading of 226 at 8am, and several other areas were still in the very unhealthy band. Conditions may shift with wind direction and hotspot activity. Residents in affected areas should keep outdoor time down and follow the latest instructions from the authorities while monitoring local API updates.

Kuching remained in the very unhealthy air-quality band on Sunday morning, even as readings improved in four other Sarawak areas. The API reading in Kuching was 235 at 8am, down from 276 at 8pm on Saturday. Sri Aman was also in the very unhealthy range at 216, while Lubok Antu, Lundu and Kanowit recorded 237, 215 and 215 respectively. Samarahan, Serian, Bintulu and Samalaju moved into the unhealthy band after their readings fell to between 184 and 200. No Sarawak station was above the hazardous threshold of 300 at the 8am update. The improvement is uneven. Smoke haze from Kalimantan was still drifting into parts of Sarawak on Sunday, and conditions may change with wind and rainfall. For Kuching residents, an API reading between 201 and 300 remains a signal to reduce prolonged outdoor activity and keep vulnerable family members away from smoky air.

Serian remains under haze emergency for three more days as API drops, workplaces allowed to operate The Serian Division will stay under a state of emergency for the next three days despite an improvement in air quality, with businesses and government offices permitted to continue operations under health precautions. Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said it is monitoring the situation closely after Serian's Air Pollutant Index peaked at 521 on Sept 4. By 10am on Sept 5, the reading had dropped to 334, still within the hazardous band of 301-500. SDMC warned that API levels could fluctuate depending on wind direction and hotspot activity. A full assessment will be made after the three-day monitoring window before any recommendation is submitted to Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on whether to lift or extend the emergency. Industries, plantations, construction sites and quarries in the affected area may continue operating provided all necessary health safeguards are in place. The public has been advised to avoid outdoor activities where possible, and to wear N95 or at minimum 3-ply masks when going out. Particular care should be taken for children, senior citizens and vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment reported that nine of Malaysia's 16 detected hotspots on Friday were in Sarawak, with the remaining five in Sabah and two in Terengganu. ASMC satellite data showed 139 hotspots in Kalimantan, with moderate to thick haze moving northeast towards Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei. Six Sarawak locations recorded very unhealthy API as of 1pm Sept 5: Serian (287), Kuching (267), Sri Aman (251), Samarahan (242), Samalaju (202) and Bintulu (201). Seven more registered unhealthy readings.

A state of emergency has been declared in Serian district after its Air Pollutant Index crossed 500, the threshold classified as very hazardous. Serian’s API first passed 500 on Friday morning and reached 515 at 5pm, according to the latest reported reading. Kuching was at 306, while Samarahan and Sri Aman recorded 292 and 241 respectively. The declaration covers Serian district, about 60km southeast of Kuching. The Prime Minister’s Department said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the declaration after considering advice from the Prime Minister, Sarawak Premier and relevant agencies. Further measures will be taken to protect residents. The emergency status comes as smoke from fires in Indonesia continues to affect the region. School arrangements and other operating measures are being announced separately, so residents should follow the latest official notices rather than rely on an earlier API reading.

Serian’s API rose above 500 at 8am on Friday and reached 518 by 10am. Kuching was also in the hazardous range at 310 at 10am. At the IPD Serian monitoring station, the sequence was 495 at 7am, 502 at 8am, 510 at 9am and 518 at 10am. Elsewhere, Lundu (323), Tebedu (345) and Lubok Antu (398) were hazardous, while Samarahan (281) and Sri Aman (245) were very unhealthy. An API above 300 is classified as hazardous. Sarawak authorities had identified 500 as the threshold that could trigger an emergency declaration for the affected locality, but the reports carrying the 10am readings did not announce one. The 10am figures are a snapshot, not an all-day forecast. The Department of Environment updates MyEQMS hourly; check the latest station reading before heading outdoors and cut back on prolonged outdoor activity while the index remains hazardous.