{
  "id": 5778635,
  "title": "Govt ready to declare emergency when API is over 400",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/govt-ready-to-declare-emergency-when-api-is-over-400",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T12:43:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/05/govt-ready-to-declare-emergency-when-api-is-over-400"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Malaysian government is considering declaring a state of emergency in areas with air pollution readings exceeding 400, according to Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup. Such \"very dangerous\" readings would trigger measures similar to those used during haze management. Currently, only Serian has recorded hazardous levels, while Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman have reported very unhealthy conditions.\n\nUnder Malaysia's air pollution scale, readings ranging from 0 to 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and above 300 is hazardous. Serian's air pollution levels peaked at 512 on Friday, gradually decreasing to 304 by noon and 219 by 8pm tonight. Sri Aman, Kuching, and Samarahan still show very unhealthy levels.\n\nThe Sarawak education department has announced that 647 primary and secondary schools will close from September 7-11, with home-based teaching and learning being conducted during the five-day period. Minister Kurup reported that cloud seeding operations conducted in Sarawak, Kedah, and Perlis yielded positive results, with several areas experiencing rainfall from the evening of the day preceding the operation until early this morning.\n\nAdditionally, Malaysia has obtained written permission from the Indonesian government to allow Malaysian aircraft to enter Indonesian airspace for cloud seeding operations. The ASEAN haze monitoring center noted that moderate to dense smoke plumes were observed over northern Borneo, with similar plumes emanating from various hotspot clusters across Kalimantan and Sumatra.",
  "summary": "Federal minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said only Serian had 'hazardous' pollution readings, while Kuching, Samarahan and Sri Aman showed 'very unhealthy' levels.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Govt ready to declare emergency when API is over 400",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/govt-ready-to-declare-emergency-when-api-is-over-400-5782117",
        "published": "2026-09-05T12:43:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}