by Theleaders | August 13, 2026 6:27 pm
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 13 — Air quality in parts of Penang reached unhealthy levels today, with the Minden monitoring station recording an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 107 at noon before improving later in the afternoon.
Penang housing and environment committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said the Minden station recorded an API reading of 107 at noon, followed by 103 at 1pm, both within the unhealthy category.
He said the reading subsequently dropped to 97 at 3pm, returning to the moderate category.
“From August 10 to 13, up to 3pm, air quality in Penang was generally in the moderate to unhealthy categories, with API readings ranging from 60 to 107,” he said in a statement today.
Sundarajoo said Penang had four automated air quality monitoring stations operated by the Department of Environment (DoE), located in Seberang Jaya, Seberang Perai, Minden and Balik Pulau.
He said monitoring trends showed that the Minden and Balik Pulau stations recorded readings ranging from 57 to 107, while Seberang Perai and Seberang Jaya registered readings of between 66 and 96.
Three of the four stations remained in the moderate category, while one recorded an unhealthy reading.
Sundarajoo said preliminary information from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed that 213 hotspots were recorded in Sumatra and another 835 in Kalimantan between August 9 and 11.
Hotspots were also detected in several Malaysian states.
He said the increase in hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan indicated more significant fire activity in the region.
“The number of hotspots cannot be used as the sole indicator to determine the level of air quality in Penang,” he said.
He said the impact on Penang depended on meteorological conditions, particularly wind direction and speed, atmospheric conditions and rainfall distribution.
“Based on the DoE’s current monitoring, weather conditions influenced by intermittent rainfall have also helped to maintain Penang’s air quality at good to moderate levels,” he said.
Sundarajoo said PM₁₀ was identified as the dominant pollutant during the monitoring period, although its concentration remained at moderate levels.
He advised the public to monitor official API readings through the DoE’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) rather than relying on unverified information circulating on social media.
He also urged the public to refrain from open burning, including burning rubbish, dry leaves and agricultural waste, and to immediately report such activities to the authorities.
“Reduce strenuous outdoor physical activities if API readings increase, particularly for sensitive groups such as children, senior citizens and individuals with respiratory health problems,” he said.
He advised the public to reduce the amount of time spent outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, and use appropriate face masks if air quality deteriorated or hazy conditions worsened.
Sundarajoo said the DoE and other relevant agencies would continue monitoring air quality and hotspot activity.
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