Malaysia closes schools, including in Kuala Lumpur, over haze from Indonesian forest fires

Schools in several parts of Malaysia, including the capital Kuala Lumpur, were closed on Friday, 9 October 2026.

Deutsche Welle and Reuters both report that the closures were due to haze from forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia. Air pollution in the affected areas reached levels described as unhealthy. Malaysia's education ministry announced the decision.

Scope and air quality

According to Deutsche Welle, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced which schools would close fully and which would continue to operate partially. The measures cover five states and two federal territories, Deutsche Welle reported.

Deutsche Welle reported an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 170 in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. The reports do not state which agency issued this reading. According to Deutsche Welle, on the API scale:

• readings above 200 are considered very unhealthy
• readings above 300 are deemed hazardous
• readings above 500 are the threshold for declaring a local emergency

Swiss air-quality monitor IQAir ranked Kuala Lumpur as the world's second most polluted city at the time of reporting, behind Singapore, according to Deutsche Welle.

Kuala Lumpur lies about 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from Indonesia, Deutsche Welle reported. It said a wave of forest fires in Indonesia has affected millions of people since August.

What each side says

Malaysia's King, Sultan Ibrahim, said on Thursday, 8 October, that schools should close whenever API readings reach 150 or higher, according to Deutsche Welle.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had agreed to take measures to tackle the haze, according to Deutsche Welle. He did not give details. The reports do not include any statement from Prabowo or the Indonesian government confirming this.

In a statement, Fadhlina said she had told education offices to keep monitoring the haze. Deutsche Welle quoted her as saying: "I have instructed all state education departments and district education offices to continue monitoring the haze situation and take immediate action if conditions require it."

She also said future closure decisions would be announced in advance. "Going forward, we will ensure that any decision to close schools is communicated in advance so that parents have enough time to prepare," Deutsche Welle quoted her as saying.

What is not known

The reports do not name the five states and two federal territories affected. They do not give the number of schools or students affected. They do not say how long the closures will last or what conditions will trigger reopening. They do not describe the measures Indonesia reportedly agreed to. They do not say where in Indonesia the fires are burning, what caused them, or their current extent. They do not include data on health impacts in Malaysia. They do not explain what prompted the minister's commitment to give advance notice. The Reuters report reviewed by Vocemundi is a summary only.

Analysis

The reported API reading of 170 in Kuala Lumpur is above the threshold of 150 the King said should trigger school closures, though below the level the scale describes as very unhealthy. Whether closures expand, ease or end may depend on how air quality changes in the coming days, which the reports do not forecast. The Prime Minister's statement about Indonesian cooperation has not been matched by any Indonesian statement in the reports reviewed. If details emerge, they could clarify how the two governments intend to address cross-border haze. The minister's pledge of advance notice may also shape how future closures are handled for families.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.