Why are schools closing in Malaysia?
Schools are closing because air pollution from forest and peatland fires in Indonesia has reached unhealthy levels. This has forced authorities in multiple Malaysian states to shut down campuses to protect students.
What happened
- 4 Sept
An emergency is declared in Sarawak's Serian district after air pollution hits 521 [1].
- 6 Oct
Batu Pahat schools close as air pollutant readings exceed 200 [1].
- 7 Oct
Johor orders all 1,198 schools to close for two days [1].
- 8 Oct
The federal government extends school closures to Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and parts of Pahang [1].
- Earlier
Johor extends its school shutdowns until Oct 16 [1].
What you need to know
The haze is caused by peatland and forest fires in Indonesia [1].
Over 617,000 students in Johor alone are affected by closures [1].
Some schools in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Perak are scheduled to reopen on Oct 12 [1].
Malaysia is seeking coordination with Indonesia to resolve the issue rather than pursuing legal action [2].
It is not confirmed if the haze caused a fatal motorcycle accident in Pontian, as police are still investigating [1].
Background
The air quality is measured by the Air Pollutant Index (API), where readings between 201 and 300 are considered very unhealthy [1]. Dry weather has helped the smoke spread across South-east Asia [1].
The Malaysian government has offered assistance to Indonesia to fight the wildfires [2]. However, the National Disaster Management Agency has not yet received a response to its communications [2].
Questions people ask
Which areas are most affected?
Johor has been heavily impacted, with Pasir Gudang recording some of the highest pollution levels [1].
Are all outdoor activities stopped?
While schools are closed, some events like night markets and football games in Johor Bahru have continued [1].
Where this came from
Found through Google Trends and drafted with AI from at least two cited sources. Published automatically after passing our automated checks for sources, wording and safety. It may not have been reviewed by a person yet. Report a correction.