Schools shut, sports cancelled as choking smog gets worse
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities have ordered most of the country’s schools shut for two days because of possible health risks posed by the thick haze from Indonesian forest fires.
The education ministry said all schools, except a handful in outlying areas, must close their doors today and tomorrow.
“The haze that is happening is beyond our control,” said Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid.
“This issue has to be addressed wisely and quickly as it can do harm to our children. We will not compromise with anything that may bring harm to our children in schools.”
The persistent smog has afflicted large swathes of Southeast Asia for weeks, sparking health alerts, numerous school shutdowns and affecting flights.
The pollution is on track to be the worst on record, exceeding the US$9 billion (328 billion baht) damage recorded in 1997.
Close to half of Malaysia’s 52 pollutant monitoring stations around the country registered “unhealthy” air quality yesterday.
Six stations, including one in Kuala Lumpur, registered “very unhealthy” levels, with one area on the outskirts of the capital hovering close to the “hazardous” level.
While Malaysia, Singapore and large portions of Indonesia have for weeks choked on pungent smoke from forest fires on Sumatra Island, the Philippine island of Cebu also suffered its seventh straight day of haze on Saturday.
Monsoon winds blowing northeast from the Indonesian blazes could have carried the smog, state weather forecaster Romeo Aguirre said. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday he hoped Indonesia could discuss long term measures to tackle the crisis.
“We hope its commitment is not only on paper or mere statements pleasant to the ears, but through implementation which could end all haze problems,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.
Several sporting events were also cancelled yesterday in Malaysia. Organisers of the Kuala Lumpur Marathon cancelled the annual event scheduled for yesterday. “The health and safety of all our runners remains our top priority,” a statement said.
Four professional football matches were also cancelled because of haze, the country’s football association said, while a cycling competition in the federal government centre of Putrajaya was also postponed.
The Singapore leg of the Fina World Championships — swimming’s World Cup — which included four-time US Olympic gold medallist Missy Franklin, was also called off.