Did the pollution improvements extend beyond Kuala Lumpur to other cities?

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Pollution Levels Decreased in Major Malaysian Cities During Initial Movement Control Order Phase

Analysis of air quality data from the initial phase of the movement control order (MCO) indicates a significant reduction in key pollutants across several major Malaysian cities, extending beyond Kuala Lumpur. These improvements were observed in nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) between March 18 and the end of the first MCO phase.
Air Quality Improvements Observed in Major Urban Centres

The Department of Environment (DOE) expanded its air quality monitoring to include stations in numerous major cities. These included Shah Alam, Ipoh, Penang, Kuantan, Seremban, Melaka, Johor Bahru, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu. For the period of the first MCO phase, these locations experienced notable decreases in pollutant levels.
Reductions in Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulphur Dioxide

In these major cities, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels saw a reduction ranging from 11 to 62 per cent. Similarly, sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations decreased by between five and 22 per cent. These reductions are attributed to the general decrease in activities such as vehicular and industrial emissions during the MCO.
Carbon Monoxide and PM2.5 Levels Also Fell

Further analysis revealed decreases in carbon monoxide (CO) and fine particles of 2.5 microns (PM2.5) across the monitored major cities. CO levels dropped by two to 25 per cent, while PM2.5 saw a reduction of two to 23 per cent. These findings align with observations made in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, where similar pollutant reductions were recorded.

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Did the pollution improvements extend beyond Kuala Lumpur to other cities?

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