KUCHING: Sarawak has requested a haze emergency to be declared in Serian after the air pollutant index (API) exceeded 500 on Friday (Sept 4), says Deputy Premier Datuk Douglas Uggah.
He said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg conveyed the state's request to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at 2pm, when the API in Serian reached 521, deemed very hazardous.
He said this was in accordance with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) Directive No 1, which stipulates the declaration of a haze emergency by the federal government with consent from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"This emergency is confined to Serian. It is not a lockdown, but has the intention of getting the public to stay at home," he told reporters after chairing a state disaster management committee meeting here on Friday.
Uggah said government and private-sector offices will be closed during the emergency, with only essential services allowed to operate.
These will include supermarkets, petrol stations, banks and security forces, he said.
"We hope that when the emergency is implemented, the public in Serian will comply with it.
"Please take it seriously and look after your health," he said, adding that the Sarawak government was taking the situation very seriously.
He also said once the emergency was declared, it would remain in place until the API decreased to below 500, before the federal government lifts the emergency declaration.
Meanwhile, the state Education Department said schools in 12 districts in Sarawak will remain closed next week in view of the hazy conditions.
It said the temporary closure from Sept 7 to 11 affected 563 primary schools involving 108,477 students and 84 secondary schools with a total of 90,082 students in Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Julau and Meradong.
"Home-based teaching and learning (PDPR) will be implemented during the closure," it said in a statement.
