Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim approved an emergency declaration for Serian Division in Sarawak state following escalating air quality concerns tied to transboundary haze originating from Indonesia. The declaration came after the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee formally requested emergency measures based on the region’s Air Pollutant Index reaching hazardous levels.
Under the emergency order, approximately 647 schools in Serian will suspend operations starting Monday through at least the end of the following week. Additionally, government and private offices, plantations, construction sites, and quarries will close, with only essential services permitted to continue functioning. Sarawak’s disaster management authorities emphasized that the emergency applies specifically to Serian Division rather than the entire state, while urging residents to minimize outdoor activities and refrain from strenuous exercise outside.
State officials expanded a cloud-seeding operation that began Thursday, extending it through at least Monday to take advantage of forecasted atmospheric conditions favorable for the initiative. Sarawak has experienced weeks of heavy haze alongside neighboring Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, part of a broader regional impact affecting multiple Southeast Asian nations. Singapore announced plans to provide daily haze advisories beginning Friday evening after air quality readings deteriorated into unhealthy ranges, marking the first such occurrence since 2023.
The haze crisis extends across the region, with the Philippines also experiencing significant air quality degradation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered class suspensions in Metro Manila and more than a dozen provinces. Scientists attribute the intensifying fire conditions to expected temperature peaks this month, which could exacerbate wildfires across Indonesia by creating hotter and drier regional conditions. The transboundary haze originates primarily from fires burning in Kalimantan and Sumatra as part of Indonesia’s seasonal wildfire cycle.
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