Malaysia Declares Sarawak State of Emergency as Haze Reaches Hazardous Levels

Malaysia has declared a haze-related state of emergency in the Sarawak district of Serian after air quality reached hazardous levels driven by transboundary forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia. According to the Malaysia Meteorological Department, the current deterioration marks the worst haze episode in the Borneo state since 2019, disrupting schools, flights, and daily commerce.

Serian District Enters State of Emergency

The Air Pollutant Index reading in Serian breached the 500 mark at 9am on Friday, Sep 4, climbing to 515 later in the day as conditions worsened, according to reporting by CNA and the South China Morning Post. Under Malaysia’s official scale, API readings exceeding 400 are classified as very hazardous.

Following the declaration issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas stated that the emergency zone would remain confined to a 20km radius in Serian as identified by the environment department, preventing blanket disruptions across other divisions, Dayak Daily reported.

Despite the official orders, some residents reported confusion over local restrictions. Yasmina R.C Holland, a 26-year-old resident, told CNA that many locals remained unclear about what rules applied during the emergency. Conditions in Serian improved slightly by Saturday morning, Sep 5, when the API dropped to 390 and subsequently to 287 by afternoon, though air quality stayed hazardous.

School Closures and Daily Life Disruptions

State authorities announced on Friday, Sep 4, that 647 schools across 12 districts—including Serian and the state capital Kuching—would close for five days from Sep 7 to Sep 11. Sarawak education director Omar Mahli stated, as quoted by Malay Mail, that monitoring during the school holiday showed the situation had not changed much. The closures affect 563 primary schools and 84 secondary schools.

Outdoor community events, sporting activities, and carnivals have been cancelled across the state, while reduced visibility has affected select flights. Local businesses report declining revenue as residents limit outdoor movement, and pharmacies face shortages of face masks. Clinics across Sarawak have logged a surge in patients seeking treatment for respiratory symptoms.

Azie Nurazrin Aziz, a 39-year-old Kuching resident who has asthma and a high-risk pregnancy, told CNA that she has had to carefully divide her errands to minimize outdoor exposure. I am worried, I am anxious, what if I get an asthma attack? she said, describing the atmosphere as suffocating.

Regional Comparison and Meteorological Context

Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah share a land border with Indonesia on Borneo Island, making the region vulnerable to smoke from forest fires. The current crisis parallels the severe transboundary haze recorded in 2019, when the state’s API reached 405.

MetMalaysia noted that current wind patterns and localized hotspots continue to feed the pollution, prompting federal and state disaster management units to maintain high alert levels across affected districts in Borneo.