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HIS Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has approved a declaration of emergency across Serian Division, Sarawak, following a severe deterioration in air quality caused by haze that has reached hazardous levels.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the decision was made after taking into account advice from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and relevant agencies concerning air quality in the affected area.
“Necessary measures will be taken more effectively to protect the health and welfare of the affected residents.
“The Government will continue to monitor developments from time to time and ensure that all necessary action is implemented immediately, including mitigation measures as well as the dissemination of information and health advice to the public,” it said in a statement post of Facebook on Friday.
The declaration comes as the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian reached 518, placing the area in the hazardous category.
The reading was recorded at the monitoring station at the Serian District Police Headquarters, according to the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS).
The worsening haze has also pushed air quality in other parts of Sarawak to dangerous levels.
Kuching recorded an API reading of 310, also classified as hazardous, while Samarahan and Sri Aman recorded very unhealthy readings of 281 and 245 respectively.
The Government said it would continue monitoring developments and ensure necessary action was taken promptly, including mitigation measures and the provision of health information and advice to the public.
The emergency declaration represents a major escalation in the authorities’ response to the worsening haze crisis, as hazardous air pollution spreads across parts of Sarawak.
647 Sarawak Schools To Close For Five Days As Haze Worsens
Separately, the Sarawak Education Department (JPN) announced the closure of 563 primary schools with 108,477 pupils along with 84 secondary schools with 90,082 students, bringing the total number of affected pupils to 198,559.
The affected districts are Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Julau and Meradong.
The department said the decision was made based on continuous monitoring of Air Pollutant Index (API) readings during the school holidays and reports issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
“JPN Sarawak always places emphasis on the welfare, health and safety of pupils, particularly when facing hot weather or any unexpected weather conditions,” it said in a statement.
The department said home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) would be conducted throughout the temporary closure in line with the Education Ministry’s guidelines on managing teaching and learning during disasters.
Schools have also been instructed to comply with established standard operating procedures and refer to the ministry’s guidelines on protecting the health and safety of pupils in schools located in areas affected by haze considered critical.
JPN Sarawak said any changes or further updates would be announced from time to time.
It also reminded schools to prioritise the health and safety of pupils and teachers throughout the haze episode. - September 4, 2026
