KUCHING: Sarawak will consider seeking an emergency declaration for specific areas if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading exceeds 500.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the state government would convey the situation to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) should the threshold be breached for the federal government to consider an emergency declaration.
“It doesn’t mean that the whole of Sarawak will be in a state of emergency, but only certain affected areas.
“For instance, if Serian records an API reading of over 500, we will convey this to NADMA and an emergency can be declared for Serian,” he said during a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here this morning.
Uggah, who is also Deputy Premier, said Sarawak recorded nine hotspots as of Aug 29, compared to 1,180 in Kalimantan and 18 in Sumatra, while two hotspots were recorded in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
“Cumulatively, from January to Aug 30, Sarawak recorded 302 hotspots, of which 186 were detected in August alone.
“In comparison, Kalimantan recorded 15,587 hotspots during the same period, including 13,212 hotspots detected in August.
“The latest regional monitoring and satellite analysis indicated significant fire activity in parts of Kalimantan, with smoke haze potentially affecting Sarawak.
“The prevailing winds were also found to have carried the haze into Sarawak from the Kalimantan side,” he said.
Uggah also assured that the SDMC, through the Department of Environment (DOE) and Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), is closely monitoring the haze situation and working to establish a mechanism for regular updates through the mass media
