KUCHING: The Sarawak Government has formally proposed the declaration of a local haze emergency for Serian district after the area’s Air Pollutant Index (API) breached the hazardous 500-level mark today.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) Chairman, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, said the Serian air quality monitoring station registered an API reading of 512 at 8:00 am, which then climbed to 521 by 2:00 pm.
In accordance with the National Haze Action Plan, an API reading exceeding 500 automatically triggers the highest alert level (Level 5A), requiring an official emergency declaration for the affected locality.
“Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has conveyed our proposal to the Prime Minister in line with National Security Council (MKN) Isyarat No 1,” Uggah told a press conference following an emergency SDMC meeting this afternoon.
Under national regulations, any emergency declaration must be approved and formally proclaimed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim.
Uggah clarified that the proposed emergency will be strictly localised, covering a 20-kilometre radius within the Serian vicinity.
“Let it be understood that this emergency is confined to that locality alone. This is not like the Movement Control Order (MCO) or a COVID-19 lockdown.
“The intention is to encourage the public to stay indoors. Public and private offices in the area will be asked to close, save for essential services such as supermarkets, petrol stations, and banks,” he said.
He added that a clear chain of command has been activated under Majlis Keselamatan Negeri Sarawak, with the Sarawak Police Commissioner appointed as operational commander-in-chief, assisted by the Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA) and supporting agencies.
Members of the public in the area are strongly advised to take precautionary health measures, including wearing N95 or equivalent protective masks when leaving their homes, following a recorded rise in local respiratory cases.
