A state of emergency will be declared in haze-affected areas of Sarawak if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches 500, Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said today.
Uggah said the declaration would then be referred to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) at the federal level for further action under established disaster management procedures.
“If an emergency is declared, all offices as well as public and private sectors in the affected areas will be closed, with only essential services allowed to operate,” he told reporters after chairing the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee meeting in Kuching.
With the haze affecting areas across the region, Uggah said the cross-border pollution was a regional issue requiring cooperation among the governments concerned through established ASEAN and diplomatic channels.
In this regard, he said the committee had contacted Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, who is also the committee’s deputy chairman, to raise Sarawak’s concerns and facilitate engagement with Indonesia through ASEAN channels.
Meanwhile, cloud seeding operations are scheduled for Sept 3 to 5, subject to weather conditions at the time.
Uggah said the operation would serve a dual purpose by helping to alleviate the haze while replenishing water resources, including dams and water supply sources, amid the prolonged dry spell.
Four water catchment areas — Simunjan, Lingga, Spaoh and Lijok — are currently experiencing declining water levels, he added.
