Haze blankets Kuala Lumpur as air quality reaches unhealthy levels

A silhouetted man jogs against the Kuala Lumpur skyline, blanketed in haze, as unhealthy air quality is reported in the city, with an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 156, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 19 October 2026. According to the Malaysia Department of Environment (DOE), an API reading of zero to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy; and above 300, hazardous.