This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Malaysia closed schools in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the country Friday as haze from fires in neighboring Indonesia again pushed local air quality to some of the world's worst levels. Toxic smoke from peatland and forest fires has shrouded cities in the region for more than a month, sending respiratory complaints skyrocketing.
The school closures came as Malaysia's leader discussed the choking smoke with his Indonesian counterpart and called for an urgent regional meeting. Air quality in Kuala Lumpur has remained at "unhealthy levels" this week, with a Swiss-based air quality monitor ranking the Malaysian capital among the world's most polluted cities on most days. Malaysia's education minister, Fadhlina Sidek, said she has ordered full school closures in four states and two federal territories, as well as one partial closure in the central state of Pahang.
"In the future, we will ensure that any decision to close schools is notified in advance so that parents have sufficient time to prepare," Fadhlina said late Thursday. Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim, weighed in on the matter Thursday, saying schools should be closed when air quality readings reach 150 or higher on the Air Pollutant Index (API). Under Malaysian guidelines, API readings above 100 are classified as unhealthy, above 200 as very unhealthy and above 300 as hazardous, while readings beyond 500 constitute the threshold for declaring a local emergency.
Kuala Lumpur on Friday showed an API reading of around 170. The city was the second-most polluted globally behind neighboring Singapore on Friday morning, Swiss-based air monitor IQAir said. Malaysia's prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, said Thursday he discussed the fire situation with the Indonesian leader, Prabowo Subianto.
"The haze issue is indeed at a worrying level. And I have personally contacted President Prabowo," Anwar said. "And he also agreed to take the necessary steps," Anwar said, without going into specific details.
He said Malaysia has been taking measures to combat the haze, including increasing attempts to trigger rain via cloud seeding. Experts said the flames are being fanned by a turbocharged El Niño weather phenomenon, causing the worst pollution conditions in years. Anwar said he asked Malaysia's foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, to contact the 11-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations' secretariat for an urgent meeting among environmental ministers to discuss the matter.
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