Malaysia ordered schools closed in Kuala Lumpur, the administrative capital Putrajaya, and the states of Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Selangor on Friday after smoke from forest fires in Indonesia drove air quality in many areas to harmful levels.
Regional media reported that around two million students were affected by the school closures. Kuala Lumpur recorded an Air Pollution Index (API) reading of about 170 — a level classified as harmful under the scale set by the Malaysian government.
Under Malaysia's current guidelines, an API above 100 is classified as harmful, above 200 as very harmful, above 300 as hazardous, and above 500 as the threshold for declaring a localized state of emergency. Malaysia's King, Sultan Ibrahim, said schools must close when the API reaches 150 or above, and instructed the relevant ministries to take measures to protect students, the elderly and patients with respiratory conditions.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described the haze situation as worrying. He said he had spoken with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and that Indonesia had agreed to take "necessary steps," though he did not detail what those steps would be. Anwar also said he had directed Malaysia's Foreign Ministry to push for an emergency meeting of ASEAN environment ministers, and to step up cloud-seeding operations to induce rain.
Malaysian Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek promised to give parents earlier notice of future school closure decisions.
To the south, on the Malay Peninsula, Singapore recorded air quality at "very unhealthy" levels according to IQAir data. Organizers of the Singapore Formula One race — running from Friday to Sunday — said the event would go ahead, with additional masks and medical staff on hand, and described the haze situation as "not a threat."
The haze stems from Indonesia's worst fire season in more than a decade. In August, Indonesian authorities warned that El Nino conditions could fuel more fires during the dry season. A month later, smoke began blanketing the region as Indonesia entered the peak of its fire season.
According to field reports, the fires have spread across six provinces, with at least 200,000 hectares burned. Indonesia's Health Ministry has counted more than 170,000 cases of respiratory infections, though the true figure is likely higher since the tally only includes those who sought medical care.
