Malaysia’s Sarawak declares emergency in Serian district due to haze
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Hazy conditions in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, on Sept 1.
PHOTO: AFP
- Sarawak's Serian recorded a hazardous API reading of 518, surpassing the emergency level of 500, indicating a severe haze situation.
- Other areas like Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman also showed very unhealthy to hazardous air quality levels.
- Ten locations across Malaysia reported unhealthy API readings, with data updated hourly from 68 monitoring stations nationwide.
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PETALING JAYA – Malaysia’s Sarawak state declared an emergency in the district of Serian on Sept 4, after thick haze caused by forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia pushed air pollution to hazardous levels.
Serian recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 521 at 2pm, according to the API Management System, marking the highest reading recorded since the current transboundary haze episode began affecting Malaysia in 2026.
The Prime Minister’s Office said Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, consented to the declaration of the emergency.
“The decision was made after taking into account the advice of the Prime Minister and Premier of Sarawak, alongside related agencies, regarding air quality in the affected area,” said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement on Sept 4.
It added that more effective measures will be taken to protect the health and welfare of affected residents.
“The government will continue monitoring the situation and ensure all necessary measures are taken immediately, including mitigation measures as well as the dissemination of information and health advisories to the public,” it said.
Sarawak state secretary Zainudin Aman, who is also state disaster management chairman, previously said a haze emergency or disaster would be declared when API readings reached 500 and above.
Apart from Serian, state capital Kuching – with an API reading of 310 – also has air quality deemed hazardous, followed closely by Samarahan (281) and Sri Aman (245), with very unhealthy levels.
A total of 10 areas across Malaysia recorded API readings indicating unhealthy air quality, namely Sandakan (152) and Kota Kinabalu (105) in Sabah; Sarikei (181), Sibu (177), Mukah (173), Samalaju (152), Bintulu (157) and ILP Miri (116) in Sarawak; and Johor’s Pasir Gudang (124) and Segamat (105).
An API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality, while a reading from 51 to 100 reflects moderate air quality. A reading of between 101 and 200 is considered unhealthy, while that between 201 and 300 is deemed very unhealthy.
Readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.
Sarawak, situated on Borneo, has been heavily affected by fires on the Indonesian side of the island, with haze forcing school closures in some parts of the state.
API data is released hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
