Sarawak town chokes as haze pushes air pollution past Malaysia’s emergency threshold

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim disclosed plans to discuss additional measures with the Sarawak government regarding the escalating haze situation in the region. Anwar contacted Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg to address the issue, emphasizing that further steps, such as the declaration of a disaster emergency, may be considered if the Air Pollutant Index (API) continues to exceed 500 in Serian.

Should an emergency be declared, the government would implement safety measures, including the suspension of non-essential operations in offices and schools except for critical agencies. Anwar assured that all necessary actions would be taken, even if the haze originated from elsewhere, to ensure the safety of affected individuals.

He also prayed for the well-being of people in Serian, Sarawak, and other impacted areas. The API reading in Serian remained hazardous at 518, while Kuching recorded a hazardous level of 310. Two other areas, Samarahan and Sri Aman, were classified as "very unhealthy" with API readings of 281 and 245, respectively.