PETALING JAYA: Pasir Gudang in Johor continues to have the highest unhealthy air pollutant index (API) in the country, with a reading of 198 as of 8pm yesterday, according to the Environment Department’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS).
Twenty-five other areas also recorded unhealthy air quality, with Johor topping the list with eight areas, followed by Selangor with five.
Larkin had an API of 178, followed by Pengerang (174), Kota Tinggi (174), Batu Pahat (171), Tangkak (166), Kluang (162) and Segamat (160).
In Selangor, the affected areas were Johan Setia (174), Klang (170), Shah Alam (168), Petaling Jaya (166) and Banting (161).
In Negri Sembilan, the areas with high API readings were Nilai (179), Seremban (175) and Port Dickson (158), while in Melaka they were Bukit Rambai (168), Alor Gajah (167) and Bandaraya Melaka (159).
Also in the unhealthy range were Cheras (163) and Batu Muda (161) in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (167).
Two areas in Sabah, Sandakan (157) and Tawau (124), were also unhealthy.
Meanwhile, 44 other areas around the country recorded API readings at the moderate level.
API readings between zero and 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 is moderate; 101 to 200 is unhealthy; 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.
API data is released hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.
