How Long Will the Suffocating Haze Last in Malaysia? - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Haze is expected to persist in Malaysia until early 2027 due to prolonged hot and dry weather fueled by El Nino phenomenon, the country's Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Tuesday.

El Nino is expected to strengthen into a Super El Nino phase from October 2026 to January 2027, with its impacts continuing until June, while the concurrent southwest monsoon will cause lower rainfall and hotter and drier conditions, Kurup told local media.

"The prolonged dry conditions will increase the risk of open fires, especially in areas prone to fires," the minister said, as quoted from Antara, citing Xinhua.

The minister added that current haze conditions have lasted more than previous occurrences, which typically last for one or two months. 

Kurup also stated that Malaysia will assist Indonesia in combating forest fires, including providing aerial firefighting capabilities. He added that Malaysia has offered water-bombing operations using helicopters, firefighting support using amphibious aircraft, and cloud seeding operations.

"The form and scope of assistance will be detailed jointly with the Indonesian government based on the needs and suitability of the situation on the ground, subject to the agreement of both countries' agencies," he said.

Meanwhile, several areas in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, located in the northern part of Borneo, recorded unhealthy pollution levels on Tuesday, with Sibu District recording an Air Pollutant Index (API) of 175 at 3:00 p.m. local time. Other areas, including Sri Aman and Mukah, recorded a reading of 172.

According to the country's air quality assessment scale, an API reading between zero and 50 is categorized as "good," 51 to 100 as "moderate," 101 to 200 as "unhealthy," 201 to 300 as "very unhealthy," and 301 and above as "hazardous."