Haze closes schools in Kuala Lumpur and 37 Malaysia areas
37 areas recorded unhealthy air, and schools must close if the index tops 180 or stays above 150 for three days.
Malaysia closed schools in Kuala Lumpur and several other areas on Friday, October 9, after haze pushed air quality to unhealthy levels. The closures apply in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, and the Rompin district in Pahang. Government data on Friday morning showed 37 areas recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek urged state education departments and district offices to keep monitoring conditions and move quickly if the situation worsens. The Education Ministry also said schools and educational institutions must close if the API exceeds 180 or stays above 150 for three consecutive days. Amid the disruption, National Sports Day celebrations in seven states and federal territories were also postponed.