The haze situation in Sarawak and parts of Peninsula Malaysia is expected to last at least three to five more days due to persistent dry weather and minimal rainfall, authorities said [1, 2, 3]. Hot and dry conditions driven by the Southwest Monsoon, lasting from May to September, are fueling haze risks across Sarawak and other parts of Borneo until August 20 [1, 4, 2, 5, 3].
As of August 13-14, ten areas nationwide recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with the majority located in Sarawak. These include Samarahan, Serian, Kuching, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Mukah, and Sibu in Sarawak; Johan Setia in Selangor; Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; and Minden in Penang [1, 2, 3]. Serian recorded the highest API of 182 on August 13, followed by Kuching at 170 and Samarahan at 169 [6].
As of 11 a.m. on August 16, three Sarawak areas—Serian (162), Samarahan (155), and Kuching (132)—still showed unhealthy air quality while 65 other areas recorded moderate levels [7]. MetMalaysia continues to monitor hotspots using satellite images and wind data to forecast haze movement [1, 2, 3]. On August 15, the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre reported 132 hotspots in Kalimantan, 115 in Sumatra, and six in Malaysia, including two in Sarawak, indicating transboundary smoke contributions from Indonesia [7].
MetMalaysia senior director Maqrun Fadzli Mohd Fahmi explained, "When we don't get much rain, the weather will be hotter and this hot weather contributes to the risk of burning. From the burning, smoke and what we call haze are produced" [1]. He added the outlook remains largely unchanged, with only minimal rain expected in the coming days, likely insufficient to fully clear the haze [2].
Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, MetMalaysia director-general, warned that dry weather from the Southwest Monsoon is expected to persist through late September, keeping localised haze risks high [6].
To address the problem, the National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan have been activated to coordinate government measures, including urging the public to avoid open burning and report fire incidents promptly, said Azuri Azizah Saedon, deputy director-general of the Department of Environment [7].
Meanwhile, warnings for thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds remain in effect as of August 16 across parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, covering multiple states and federal territories [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Authorities continue monitoring weather and air quality conditions closely.
