Johor has extended school closures through Oct. 23 as hazardous haze and poor air quality persist across southern Peninsular Malaysia. State officials cited thousands of respiratory illness cases and concerning Air Pollutant Index readings, maintaining home-based learning while permitting strict exam exceptions.
Education and information committee chairman Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali announced the five-day extension following a meeting of the Johor Haze Management Coordination Committee. The directive aligns with the orders of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, prioritizing community health as air pollution levels remain stubbornly high.
Monitoring reports indicate that Air Pollutant Index (API) readings remain at concerning levels, with no significant improvement.
Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali, State Education and Information Committee chairman
State authorities originally ordered schools closed for two days starting Oct. 8, followed by a subsequent five-day extension covering Oct. 12 through Oct. 16. With air quality failing to clear, the latest measure keeps public schools, state religious institutions, and educational centers shuttered through Friday, Oct. 23. Wind movements toward the north and regional weather forecasts for a multi-day outlook influenced the final decision to prolong the shutdown.
Escalating Respiratory Illness and Surging Haze Readings
The prolonged haze crisis has driven a sharp rise in health complaints across the state. Medical authorities recorded 30,648 cases of asthma and upper respiratory tract infections during October, representing a weekly increase of 20.7%. Health officials have urged parents, senior citizens, and anyone with existing respiratory conditions to limit outdoor exposure.
Air quality monitoring highlighted Johor as the primary hotspot nationwide, with the national Department of Environment tracking widespread contamination. Pasir Gudang registered the country’s highest Air Pollutant Index reading at 198, placing it in the unhealthy category alongside eight other monitoring stations across the state, including Larkin (179), Pengerang (175), Kota Tinggi (173), Batu Pahat (168), Tangkak (165), Segamat (159), and Kluang (158). Other jurisdictions experienced similar pollution pressures, with Negeri Sembilan tracking elevated readings in Nilai at 174, Seremban at 170, and Port Dickson at 159.
Teaching Adjustments and Strict Exam Exceptions
Limited exemptions are permitted for students sitting for scheduled examinations, subject to coordination by the Johor Education Department and strict compliance with health standard operating procedures.
Statewide Agency Coordination and Road Safety Warnings
Beyond the classroom, regional authorities have mobilized to manage the environmental hazard. Core policing duties continue on schedule, though officers experiencing health complications receive field duty exemptions.
Motorists face significantly reduced visibility, particularly in areas like Simpang Renggam where thick smoke obscured roadways and limited drivers to streetlights and headlights. Health bodies continue to urge vulnerable populations to remain indoors, keep windows sealed, and run an air purifier.