KUALA LUMPUR — The government is prepared to recommend an emergency declaration in areas where the Air Pollution Index (API) exceeds 400, in accordance with the country’s haze management standard operating procedures.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said such a measure could be considered when air quality reaches a hazardous level, citing the recent situation in Serian, Sarawak, where API readings surpassed 500 and resulted in an emergency being declared, Bernama reported.
“If it is more than 400, it is considered very dangerous and can be considered to declare an emergency,” he told reporters after officiating the Handover Ceremony of the MADANI Adoption Village and MADANI Adoption School Project 2026 at Dataran Kampung Basong, Kuala Berang, Terengganu today.
Arthur said only three out of 68 API monitoring stations nationwide had so far recorded very unhealthy readings, namely in Kuching, Samarahan and Sri Aman in Sarawak, while Serian had reached dangerous levels.
He added that any emergency declaration would remain in place until API readings improved to safer levels, with precautionary measures such as school closures and the use of face masks implemented during the period.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim had yesterday declared an emergency in the entire Serian Division, Sarawak, following worsening haze conditions that posed risks to public health and safety.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the decision was made after considering advice from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and relevant agencies regarding the area’s air quality situation.
Meanwhile, Arthur said cloud seeding operations conducted yesterday in Sarawak as well as the northern peninsula states of Kedah and Perlis had produced positive results, with several areas receiving rainfall from yesterday evening until early this morning.
He said Malaysia had also obtained written approval from the Indonesian government to allow Malaysian aircraft to enter Indonesian airspace to conduct cloud seeding operations.
“We have carried out cloud seeding operations in Sarawak and sometimes for wider operations, our air assets need to cross the border to ‘shoot’ at the clouds and the wind will bring the clouds to our country,” he said.
Arthur added that Malaysia had offered aircraft assets and manpower to help put out open fires currently occurring in Indonesia, although no official request for assistance had been received from Jakarta so far. – September 5, 2026