Haze forces schools to remain closed
Schools will continue to be closed is most states tomorrow due to the worsening haze blanketing the country.
The Education Ministry in a statement today ordered that schools in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Samarahan in Sarawak, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak in Sabah as well as Muar, Ledang and Segamat in Johor be closed tomorrow too.
“This is based on the Education Ministry’s monitoring of the Air Pollutant Index (API) until 1pm today, where many areas are still at unhealthy levels.
A total of 3,029 schools will be closed affecting 1,909,842 students, the ministry said today.
Today, schools in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur as well as Kuching and Samarahan in Sarawak and Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak in Sabah were closed due to the haze
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in his latest tweet today expressed sadness in at the schools’ closure.
“I share the parents' disappointment in the closing of the schools.
“I hope everyone understands the government’s decision which only prioritises the health of the children,” he tweeted.
As at 4pm today, the air pollutant index reading in 16 areas indicated the unhealthy level, namely Seremban (193), Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (165), Banting (162), Nilai (155), Putrajaya (154), Tawau, Bukit Rambai and Port Dickson (152), Malacca City (151), Port Klang (146), Shah Alam (142), Petaling Jaya (136), Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (131), Muar (128), Tanjung Malim (111) and Kemaman (105).
An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.
Sabah, Sarawak schools hit, too
In KUCHING, Bernama reports the Sarawak Education Department as saying that 463 schools in Kuching and Samarahan were closed today, involving 104,525 primary pupils and 80,283 secondary students.
A total of 265 of these schools were in the Kuching, Batu, Lundu and Padawan districts in the Kuching Division and 198 in the Samarahan, Serian and Simunjan districts in the Samarahan Division, it said in a statement.
In KOTA KINABALU, Sabah education directorJame Alip said the closure of schools today in the four districts affected 112,418 pupils and students.
He said 48,630 of the pupils and students were in the Tawau district, 26,373 in Semporna, 28,451 in Lahad Datu and 8,964 in Kunak.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department said the haze, which worsened again since several days ago, was caused by the tropical storms Koppu and Champi in the Philippines which were influencing the wind pattern in the region.
Director-general Che Gayah Ismail said this resulted in the weak multi-directional winds, prior to this, resuming blowing at moderate speed from south west.
She said it also brought with it the haze from the fire areas in Sumatra, Indonesia to peninsula Malaysia and the haze from Southern Kalimantan, also Indonesia, to Sarawak.
"The cross-border haze affecting Malaysia will end if the tropical storms, which can influence the wind pattern and cause dryness, dissipate or when the monsoon starts in November, she told Bernama today.
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