By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 22: The Sarawakku Sayang Programme in Mukah, the Sarawak-Level National Day Celebration 2026 in Kapit, and the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Rumah Mendit Penom in Spaoh have been postponed as a precautionary measure due to the worsening haze situation and unhealthy air quality affecting parts of Sarawak.
In a statement today, the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said the decision was made after taking into account current air quality conditions and prioritising the safety, health and well-being of the public.
The Sarawakku Sayang Programme was originally scheduled to be held from Aug 28 to 30 in Mukah, while the State-level National Day Celebration was set for Aug 30 and 31 in Kapit. The centenary celebration of Rumah Mendit Penom in Spaoh was scheduled for Sept 1.
The committee also advised organisers to consider postponing public events and activities, especially those held outdoors and involving large crowds, until air quality conditions improve.
SDMC said it is continuing to closely monitor the hot weather and air quality situation across Sarawak, particularly in areas recording unhealthy levels of air pollution.
Based on the latest Hot Weather Report issued at 8am today, 18 monitoring stations recorded PM2.5 readings ranging from 68 to 190. Of these, 11 locations registered unhealthy readings between 101 and 200, six locations recorded moderate readings between 51 and 100, while one location remained within the good category.
The highest PM2.5 reading was recorded at the Serian District Police Headquarters (IPD Serian MCAQM) at 190. This was followed by Kuching and Lubok Antu at 181 respectively, Lundu at 179, Samarahan at 177, Sri Aman at 174 and Sarikei at 172.
SDMC said it would continue working with relevant agencies to monitor developments and coordinate response measures to ensure any risks to public health and safety are effectively managed.
Members of the public have been urged to avoid spreading unverified information and to obtain updates only from official government channels. SDMC stressed that public cooperation is vital in minimising health risks, preventing fires and mitigating further deterioration of air quality during the current haze episode.
It added that efforts to strengthen preparedness, prevention and mitigation measures against haze, hot weather and fire risks will continue in collaboration with relevant agencies based on prevailing conditions and risk assessments. — DayakDaily
