Sarawak ready to declare haze emergency at critical level

The deputy premier of Sarawak, Douglas Uggah Embas, announced that the state is ready to declare an emergency in the face of critical air pollution levels caused by smoke haze. This comes after the cancellation of the state-level National Day celebration. Uggah, who leads the state disaster management committee, explained that guidelines are in place to respond to the haze, including the potential closure of offices and workplaces if the air pollutant index surpasses 500.

The committee collaborates with federal and state agencies to handle the situation. Ultimately, the decision to hold, postpone, or cancel events rests with the event organizers, barring a directive from the authorities. The public also has the choice to decide whether to attend or not. The Natural Resources and Environment Board predicts that Sarawak will likely face ongoing haze if biomass burning continues outside its borders.

A haze emergency was previously declared in Kuching in September 1997 when pollution levels reached 650. Sarawak's premier previously attributed the cancellation of the National Day celebration to the extensive haze affecting the region. The event was originally planned to take place in Kapit.