Therefore, the present study aims to examine the potential of sugarcane bagasse (SB) as a renewable source of activated carbon to treat leachate generated from mature anaerobic landfill known as Sahom landfill located in Kuala Dipang, Perak, Malaysia. The experiment was designed by a standard response surface methodology (RSM) design known as central composite design (CCD) with three different factors (e.g., activation temperature, activation time, KOH impregnation ratio). The effectiveness of the treatment process was investigated and evaluated in order to explain the color, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), removals by AC adsorption.