These KL Neighbourhoods Are Even More Polluted Than The City’s AQI Suggests
No part of the city in the top 10 has good air quality.
Cover image via Arif Kartono/AFPFollow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Air quality across Kuala Lumpur is deteriorating, but the latest station-level readings show that some neighbourhoods are experiencing significantly worse conditions than the city-wide average
Jalan Ampang Hilir is currently recording an AQI of 248, putting it deep inside the "Very Unhealthy" category and close to the 300-point threshold for "Hazardous" air quality, according to the Swiss air quality technology company's IQAir real-time AQI station ranking for stations in Kuala Lumpur.
The reading is considerably higher than Kuala Lumpur's overall AQI of 218 as of this morning, 8 October, showing how pollution levels can vary substantially between different parts of the city.
Several other parts of Kuala Lumpur are also recording AQIs above 200.
A dense blanket of atmospheric haze covers the Kuala Lumpur skyline on 7 October, 2026. Toxic haze has shrouded parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore for weeks as Jakarta struggles to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Borneo and Sumatra, with the smoke drifting across the region.
Image via Arif Kartono/AFPThe latest station-level readings show:
- Jalan Ampang Hilir — 248
- Jalan Pinggir — 216
- Bangsar — 214
- Jalan Kiara 4, Mont Kiara — 209
- Herculife Bukit Damansara — 208
All five locations are in the "Very Unhealthy" category.
That means residents in areas such as Bangsar, Mont Kiara, and Bukit Damansara may be experiencing considerably poorer air quality than suggested by Kuala Lumpur's overall city-wide reading.
The pollution is not limited to the locations recording AQIs above 200.
IGB International School recorded an AQI of 195, while Cheras and Batu Muda recorded 173 and 168, respectively.
All three readings remain within the "Unhealthy" range, meaning the problem extends well beyond the handful of locations recording the highest readings.
The most polluted locations near Kuala Lumpur.
Image via IQAirNo part of the city in the top 10 has good air quality
The station-level data paints a broader picture of widespread poor air quality across Kuala Lumpur.
From Jalan Ampang Hilir's AQI of 248 to Batu Muda's 168, every location in the latest top 10 breakdown is recording air quality classified as either "Very Unhealthy" or "Unhealthy".
The figures also show why a single city-wide AQI can mask significant differences between neighbourhoods, particularly during a haze episode when wind, weather and local conditions can cause particulate pollution to accumulate unevenly.
Residents should continue limiting prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity while air quality remains poor. Those who need to spend extended periods outdoors can consider a well-fitting N95 or equivalent respirator, while keeping windows closed and using a HEPA air purifier can help reduce exposure to fine particles indoors.
A man walks along a pedestrian bridge with the Petronas Twin Towers partially obscured by haze in the background in Kuala Lumpur on 7 October, 2026.
Image via Arif Kartono/AFP Image via