Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak town as haze pollution level hits 521
Indonesian police have arrested 112 people suspected of starting the recent forest and peatland fires in 10 provinces on Sumatra and Borneo
The Air Pollutant Index in Serian, a small agricultural town of just under 90,000 near the border of Indonesia’s Kalimantan province, surged to 521 on Friday, according to Malaysia’s environment department. Sarawak’s much larger capital, Kuching, also showed a hazardous reading of 311.
Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has consented to the declaration of an emergency in Serian, which would allow more effective measures to be taken, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office said in a statement. It did not provide details but officials have said a reading above 500 could provide for non-essential work and outdoor activities to be halted. Schools are already shut if the index is above 200.
Haze is a recurring seasonal problem in Southeast Asia, where smoke from forest and peat fires in Indonesia can travel across national borders and affect neighbouring Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.
Sarawak has been the worst-hit Malaysian state by the haze, with several areas having hazardous air levels in the past few days.
The haze this year has been particularly severe, with elevated fire activity in several provinces in Indonesia, including Kalimantan, and prolonged dry conditions contributing to worsening pollution across parts of Borneo.
