KUALA LUMPUR: Schools in various states across Malaysia, including its federal and administrative capitals, will close on Friday. This decision was announced by the education ministry, due to increased air pollution caused by haze from forest fires in neighboring Indonesia.
The affected areas include Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, and Selangor on the Malaysian peninsula, as well as the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and the administrative center, Putrajaya. The Education Minister, Fadhlina Sidek, shared this update on her Facebook page late Thursday.
In addition, schools in the Rompin district of Pahang will also be closed. The Minister emphasized the importance of monitoring the haze situation closely, directing state and district education offices to act promptly if conditions worsen.
According to Malaysia’s Air Pollutant Index (API), air quality is labeled as “unhealthy” for readings between 101 and 200, “very unhealthy” for 201 to 300, and “hazardous” above 300. As of Friday morning, 37 areas reported unhealthy API levels based on government data.
Indonesia has been facing challenges in managing forest and land fires in several provinces, leading to significant haze affecting neighboring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.
In response to the situation, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has agreed to take necessary actions to address the haze. Malaysia is also prepared to provide assistance. Anwar added that he would ask the foreign minister to arrange a meeting with ministers from ASEAN to coordinate a regional approach and support Indonesia’s efforts.
