KUCHING: The declaration of an emergency throughout the Serian Division following hazardous haze conditions has heightened concerns over tourism arrivals and upcoming outdoor events across Sarawak.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said tourist arrivals had already recorded a decline amid the deteriorating air quality.
“I’m concerned, but there’s not much we can do except hope the haze improves,” he said during a press conference following the Main Committee Meeting for the Malaysia Day Celebration 2026 at The Waterfront Hotel here today.
The emergency was consented to by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, on Friday (Sept. 4) after the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian exceeded 500, reaching 521 at 2:00 pm before remaining at hazardous levels later in the day.
Kuching was also experiencing hazardous air quality, recording an API reading of 313 at 4:00 pm on Friday, while Samarahan and Sri Aman recorded very unhealthy readings of 288 and 239 respectively.
The worsening haze has already begun affecting Sarawak’s tourism sector, with visitors reconsidering travel plans and several upcoming outdoor events facing uncertainty.
Abdul Karim said the situation was also worrying as Sarawak has several major events scheduled in the coming weeks, including Borneo Borderland and other outdoor programmes.
“If the API reaches unhealthy levels, organisers should consider postponing or cancelling outdoor events. Indoor programmes can still proceed, but we must never compromise people’s health,” he said.
He urged organisers to closely monitor API readings and strictly comply with guidelines issued by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) when deciding whether outdoor events should proceed.
The emergency declaration in Serian allows authorities to implement stronger measures to protect public health and safety. Under the National Haze Action Plan (NHAP), non-essential government and private-sector activities in the affected area may be suspended, while essential services continue to operate.
Abdul Karim said while the haze could have an impact on tourism and the state’s event calendar, the health and safety of the public must remain the priority.
