What's happening around you
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Sarawak haze eases but Serian, Lubok Antu, Samarahan, Tebedu still unhealthy
Air quality in Sarawak improved on Sept 15, with most monitoring stations recording Moderate API readings, but four locations remained unhealthy: Serian (168), Lubok Antu (152), Samarahan (151) and Tebedu (122). Kuching returned to Moderate at 96. The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre warned that hotspots and smoke haze in Kalimantan and Sumatra continue to pose a transboundary haze risk.
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Man in Serian loses RM11,800 to Facebook car-sale scam
A 34-year-old man in Serian, Sarawak lost RM11,800 after being tricked by a car sale advertisement on Facebook. He made four transactions to two different accounts before suspecting a scam and lodging a police report. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
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Serian schools reopen tomorrow as haze eases, Lubok Antu stays on PdPR
Schools under the Serian District Education Office in Sarawak will resume normal operations from Sept 14 after air quality improved, the state education department said. Schools under Lubok Antu will continue home-based learning, while the other 12 district education offices in the state also reopen. Face masks will be distributed to affected schools and outdoor activities remain suspended when the API exceeds 100.
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Haze eases in parts of Malaysia but parents stay alert over school closures
Clearer skies have returned to parts of Malaysia, but parents in Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam remain cautious about the haze and possible school closures. In Sarawak, schools in Serian and Lubok Antu stay shut until API readings fall below 200, under the National Haze Action Plan.
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Schools in Serian and Lubok Antu remain closed until API drops below 200
The Sarawak State Education Department has extended the temporary closure of schools in Serian and Lubok Antu until the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in both districts falls below 200. Meanwhile, 12 other districts in Sarawak will operate as usual starting next Monday. Face masks will be distributed to affected students and school staff due to the haze.
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Serian API hits 236, very unhealthy level
The Serian District Police Headquarters area in Sarawak recorded an API reading of 236 as of 4pm, a very unhealthy level. Four other Sarawak areas were also unhealthy: Sri Aman 199, Samarahan 179, Kuching 174 and Sarikei 115. Another 50 areas nationwide were at moderate levels.
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Sarawak parents, teachers split over school reopening as haze persists
Parents and teachers in Sarawak are divided over schools reopening next Monday while haze keeps air quality at unhealthy levels. Three stations recorded very unhealthy API readings on Saturday, including Serian at 236, Lundu at 202 and Lubok Antu at 218. Chung Hua Batu 35 in Serian was closed a month ago because of the haze.
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Serian records API 220, only 'very unhealthy' area in Malaysia
Serian in Sarawak recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 220 as of 5pm, the only area in Malaysia in the 'very unhealthy' category. Fifteen other stations recorded unhealthy readings, including Tebedu (199), Lubok Antu (198) and Lundu (197), attributed to dry weather in southern Asean and hotspots in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
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Two Serian men fined RM7,500 for rioting and smashing rear windscreen of elderly man accused of stealing oil palm fruit
Two men in Serian, Sarawak, were each fined RM7,500 after pleading guilty to smashing the rear windscreen of a 72-year-old man's car and taking part in a riot over an accusation of stolen oil palm fresh fruit bunches. The offences happened near the junction of Kampung Resak, Serian on Aug 28, and 12 others were each fined RM3,500 for the same riot.
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Serian API back to very unhealthy level at 202
Serian in Sarawak recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 202 at 11am on Sept 11, again entering the very unhealthy range. It was the highest in Sarawak, while 15 other monitoring stations recorded unhealthy readings.
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Two men including soldier plead not guilty to possessing 38.62g of meth in Serian
Two men, one an army personnel, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Kuching to possessing 38.62 grammes of methamphetamine in Serian on May 16. The case is set for pre-trial case management on Oct 9, and both accused are remanded at Puncak Borneo Prison.
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Sarawak haze crisis: Fires in Indonesian Borneo push API to 521, schools closed
Fires across Indonesia's Borneo and Sumatra islands have caused severe haze in Sarawak, with the Air Pollutant Index in Serian peaking at a hazardous 521. The Education Ministry ordered 647 schools in Sarawak to close from Sept 7 to 11, and the King has consented to a state of emergency in the Serian Division. The fires released over 23 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions between Aug 28 and Sept 3.
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Serian's air quality hits hazardous 302 as haze worsens
Air quality in Serian, Sarawak, has returned to a hazardous level with an API reading of 302. Several other areas in Sarawak, as well as states like Selangor and Perak, are also recording unhealthy air quality.
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Serian haze emergency lifted as API drops to 245
The emergency declaration in Serian division, Sarawak, was lifted on Sept 7 following an improvement in the haze situation. The Serian air quality monitoring station recorded an API of 245, which is in the very unhealthy category but has shown a downward trend over the past three days. Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah said the decision was made with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
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Sarawak extends cloud seeding to Sunday as Serian API improves but stays unhealthy
Sarawak has extended its cloud-seeding operations until Sunday to combat transboundary haze affecting the state. The Air Pollutant Index in Serian district showed an improving trend at 185, still in the unhealthy category, as monitoring continues before any emergency status recommendation.
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Haze eases but Kuching, Sri Aman still at 'very unhealthy' API levels
Air quality in Sarawak is improving, but Kuching and Sri Aman remain in the 'very unhealthy' category as of 8am. No areas recorded 'hazardous' readings, while 35 locations, including Serian, were 'unhealthy'.
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Haze: 63 schools in Bintulu and Tatau closed until Sept 11
All 54 primary and nine secondary schools under the Bintulu and Tatau/Sebauh District Education Offices in Sarawak are closed until September 11 due to haze. The decision was made after the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Bintulu hit 206, a very unhealthy level. A total of 39,744 students are affected, and home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) will be implemented.
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Serian residents cope with haze as API drops to 334, schools closed
Life in Serian, Sarawak, continued largely as normal on Saturday despite a haze emergency declared a day earlier, with residents wearing face masks as a precaution. The Air Pollutant Index reading stood at 334 at 10am, down from over 500 the previous day, and N95 masks were in short supply at local pharmacies. Schools in the Serian district are temporarily closed from Sept 7 to 11, with home-based learning implemented, while farmers report that pepper saplings have died due to the dry spell.
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Serian rep urges more cloud seeding as haze emergency declared in division
Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus has urged the government to conduct more frequent cloud seeding in Serian to combat the haze and dry spell affecting farmers. The call comes after the Prime Minister's Office declared an emergency for the entire Serian Division due to hazardous air pollution levels.
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Serian churches can hold services despite haze emergency, says Anglican bishop
The Anglican Bishop of Kuching, Danald Jute, said church services in Serian may continue despite the emergency declaration over hazardous air quality. He advised vulnerable parishioners to stay home and urged the community to wear N95 masks and limit outdoor exposure.
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Sarawak haze emergency raises fears for tourism and outdoor events
Sarawak's Serian Division is under a haze emergency after API readings exceeded 500, prompting concerns from the state's tourism minister about declining visitor numbers and the fate of upcoming outdoor events. The minister urged organisers to follow guidelines and prioritise public health, with Kuching also recording hazardous air quality.
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Cloud seeding in Sarawak to continue until Monday
Cloud seeding operations across Sarawak will continue until Monday to mitigate the haze problem. This follows the declaration of a state of emergency in the Serian division of Sarawak, where the Air Pollutant Index exceeded 500, although it has since dropped to 287.
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Sarawak Catholics in haze-hit areas excused from Sunday Mass
The Archbishop of Kuching has issued a dispensation excusing Catholics in areas with hazardous air quality from attending Sunday Mass due to the severe haze. The dispensation applies to the elderly, those with health conditions, and others unable to travel. Online Masses are available from St Joseph's Cathedral.
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JKR projects in Serian to continue despite haze emergency
The Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) has allowed its construction projects in Serian to continue operating despite a haze-induced state of emergency, subject to strict health precautions for workers. The decision follows the emergency declaration on Friday, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian fluctuating at very unhealthy levels.