Malaysia declares emergency in Borneo town as air pollution reaches hazardous levels

Friday 04 September 2026 - 16:18

By: Azzat Manal

Malaysia declares emergency in Borneo town as air pollution reaches hazardous levels

Malaysia has declared an emergency in the town of Serian in Sarawak after air pollution reached extremely dangerous levels, with smoke from major fires in neighboring Indonesia affecting parts of the Malaysian state.

Malaysia’s Department of Environment reported that the air pollution index in Serian, a small agricultural town near the border with Indonesia’s Kalimantan region, climbed to 521 on Friday. The reading was well above the country’s emergency threshold and reflected the severity of the haze affecting the area.

The situation was also serious in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, where the air pollution index reached 311, placing the city in the hazardous category.

The office of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar had approved the declaration of an emergency in Serian. The measure is intended to allow authorities to implement stronger and faster measures to protect residents and limit exposure to the polluted air.

As part of the emergency measures, government and private offices in Serian are to close, along with farms and construction sites. Authorities are also urging residents to take precautions and limit activities that could increase their exposure to the polluted atmosphere.

Sarawak’s disaster management authorities stressed that the emergency declaration applies specifically to Serian and does not cover the entire state. Douglas Uggah, chairman of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee, called on residents to take the situation seriously and follow official instructions.

The haze affecting Sarawak is linked to fires in Indonesia, which can send large quantities of smoke across national borders, particularly during periods of dry weather. Such episodes have repeatedly affected parts of Southeast Asia, creating serious public-health and environmental concerns.

The latest development highlights the regional impact of forest and land fires, with Malaysia once again facing deteriorating air quality as smoke spreads across parts of Borneo. Authorities are expected to continue monitoring pollution levels and weather conditions closely in the coming days.