Malaysia Declares State of Emergency in Sarawak Due to Toxic Haze
4 sources across 4 countries · Bangladesh · Brazil · Hong Kong · Indonesia
Who reported this
- The Daily Star
- UOL
- South China Morning Post
- The Jakarta Post
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
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Malaysia has declared a state of emergency in the Serian division of Sarawak on the island of Borneo after hazardous haze from forest fires in neighboring Indonesia drove air pollution to critical levels. King Sultan Ibrahim consented to the declaration after the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian breached the 500 threshold, peaking between 519 and 521 on Friday. Under Malaysian guidelines, API levels above 300 are classified as hazardous, while readings beyond 500 can trigger a local emergency.
The emergency measures include the closure of 647 schools from Monday until at least the end of next week. Government and private offices in Serian, as well as construction sites, quarries, and plantations, will also be closed, with only essential services remaining operational. Residents have been advised to minimize outdoor activities and wear N95 or 3-ply masks.
To combat the pollution, the Royal Malaysian Air Force and other agencies launched a cloud seeding operation targeting water catchment areas and hydroelectric dams. Authorities stated the operation aims to induce rainfall to reduce airborne pollutants and replenish water reserves ahead of expected dry weather in October. In Indonesia, police have arrested 112 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires across 10 provinces on Sumatra and Borneo.
Reporting on the event varied by political lean. Center-left sources emphasized the toxic nature of the haze and the resulting respiratory complaints among residents. Center sources focused on the specific administrative details of the emergency declaration and the technical API thresholds. Center-right sources highlighted the regional context of the seasonal problem and the specific pollution readings in multiple cities.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These sources emphasized the public health impact, specifically mentioning toxic air and respiratory complaints.
- Centre
- These sources provided detailed administrative information regarding school closures and the specific legal process of the emergency declaration.
- Centre-right
- This source framed the event within the broader regional context of seasonal haze and provided comparative pollution data for different cities.
Sources
- Centre-right South China Morning Post: Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak town as haze pollution level hits 521
- Centre The Daily Star: Malaysia declares haze emergency in Sarawak state on Borneo
- Centre-left The Jakarta Post: Sarawak declares emergency in Serian district due to haze
- Centre-left UOL: Malaysia declares state of emergency due to toxic haze caused by fires
90% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.