Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim approved the emergency declaration following a request from Sarawak authorities, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office saying conditions had reached levels that posed a threat to public health and safety.

Air quality in Serian deteriorated sharply, with the Air Pollutant Index climbing above 500, breaching Malaysia’s threshold for consideration of an emergency.

Under the emergency measures, 647 schools in Serian are set to close from Monday until at least the end of next week. Government and private offices, plantations, construction sites and quarries will also suspend operations, while essential services will continue.

Authorities have stressed that the emergency applies specifically to Serian and not the whole of Sarawak.

Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee chairman Douglas Uggah Embas urged residents to treat the situation seriously and reduce exposure to the polluted air.

“Please minimise outdoor activities and avoid strenuous activities outdoors,” he said.

Authorities have also launched cloud-seeding operations in an attempt to encourage rainfall and ease the haze. The operation, which began on Thursday, is expected to continue until at least Monday as officials anticipate more favourable cloud conditions.

Sarawak, located on the Malaysian side of Borneo, has been heavily affected by smoke drifting across the border from forest and peatland fires in Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The haze has also spread across other parts of Southeast Asia.

Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index entered the unhealthy range this week for the first time due to haze since October 2023, prompting authorities to begin issuing daily haze advisories.

The Philippines has also been affected, with authorities suspending face-to-face classes in Metro Manila and several other areas amid poor air quality linked to smoke from Indonesian fires, alongside heavy monsoon rains.

Brunei has also reported hazy conditions as smoke continues to spread across the region.

This year’s transboundary haze forms part of a wider seasonal wildfire crisis in Indonesia, where dry conditions have fuelled forest and peatland fires. Indonesian authorities have reported hundreds of fire hotspots, while enforcement action has been taken against individuals and companies suspected of illegal burning.

Scientists and authorities have warned that hotter and drier conditions could worsen the fires as temperatures peak during the month, raising concerns that the haze may continue to affect air quality across Southeast Asia in the coming days.