{
  "id": 5525334,
  "title": "Sarawak wants emergency declared in Serian",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sarawak-wants-emergency-declared-in-serian",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T08:07:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/04/sarawak-wants-emergency-declared-in-serian"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sarawak's deputy premier, Douglas Uggah Embas, is urging the federal government to declare a disaster emergency in Serian due to the severe haze causing the air pollution index (API) to skyrocket to 519. Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg is currently liaising with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding the situation. The declaration of an emergency would ultimately be a decision by Putrajaya, as the king must sign off on the order. Uggah expressed hope that once the emergency is declared, the public would comply, emphasizing that the primary objective is to safeguard residents' health. Uggah had previously stated that a haze emergency would be enacted at the district level if the API exceeded 500. Should a disaster emergency be declared, all government and private-sector offices and workplaces would remain closed, with the exception of essential services. In September 1997, a haze emergency was implemented in Kuching when an API reading of 650 was recorded.",
  "summary": "Deputy premier says only Putrajaya can declare an emergency as the order must be signed off by the king.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Sarawak wants emergency declared in Serian",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sarawak-wants-emergency-declared-in-serian-5531169",
        "published": "2026-09-04T08:07:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "King declares emergency in Serian over hazardous haze",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/king-declares-emergency-in-serian-over-hazardous-haze",
        "published": "2026-09-04T09:06:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Emergency declared in Serian as haze reaches hazardous levels",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/emergency-declared-in-serian-as-haze-reaches-hazardous-levels",
        "published": "2026-09-04T09:25:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Malaysia declares state of emergency in Sarawak’s Serian after air pollutant index exceeds 500",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/malaysia-declares-state-of-emergency-in-sarawaks-serian-after-air",
        "published": "2026-09-04T09:38:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak town as haze reaches critical level",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/malaysia-declares-emergency-in-sarawak-town-as-haze-reaches-critical",
        "published": "2026-09-04T09:53:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}