Haze is back in certain areas

GEORGE TOWN: The haze is back in several areas in Malaysia.

Penang, Ipoh and the Klang Valley show moderate air pollutant index (API) readings of between 61 and 69, but the gauge in Taiping has slipped into the unhealthy level of 112 as of noon on Monday (July 1).

In Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, people can breathe more easily, with API readings as low as 38, up to the lower 50s.

Since last August, the Department of Environment's API readings have been upgraded to measure particle matters in the air of 2.5 microns or smaller.

According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), peninsular Malaysia has been getting steady winds blowing from the islands of Sumatra and Java.

ASMC's satellite monitoring system only records three minor hotspots, indicating open burning from that direction.