Malaysia closes schools due to haze

KUALA LUMPUR - Schools in several Malaysian states as well as its federal and administrative capitals will be closed on Friday, the education ministry said, after smoky haze caused by forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia pushed air pollution to unhealthy levels.

The areas affected include the states of Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor on the Malaysian peninsular, as well as the country's capital Kuala Lumpur and its administrative centre Putrajaya, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said in a Facebook post late Thursday.

Schools will also be closed in the Rompin district of Pahang state, she said.

"I have asked all state education departments and district education offices to continue to monitor the haze situation and take immediate action if the situation requires it," she said.

Malaysia's Air Pollutant Index classifies air quality as "unhealthy" from 101 to 200, "very unhealthy" from 201 to 300, and "hazardous" above 300. On Friday morning, 37 areas recorded unhealthy API levels, according to government data.

Indonesia has struggled to contain forest and land fires across several provinces which have led to thick haze in neighbouring nations including Malaysia and Singapore.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto had agreed to take necessary steps to combat the haze, with Malaysia ready to offer assistance. Anwar said he had asked Malaysia's foreign minister to push for a meeting of ministers from the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN to coordinate a regional response and support Indonesia's efforts.

- Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kim Coghill/Reuters