Malaysia closes schools nationwide as over 2 million students stay home amid wildfire haze
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Malaysia's Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek ordered schools closed today across Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, as well as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district in Pahang, leaving more than 2 million students nationwide at home as toxic haze from wildfires in Indonesia spread across the region. The Malaysian Education Ministry announced that schools in areas with high pollution readings for three consecutive days will also close on Monday, October 12. The closure order came just hours after Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, the King of Malaysia, called for action, saying the health and safety of children should come first. Just two days earlier, Malaysia had ordered the closure of schools, including about 200 kindergartens and childcare centres, in the Batu Pahat district of Johor on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had agreed to take the necessary steps to address the source of the haze. Singapore was ranked the most polluted city in the world according to IQAir data, raising concerns about the impact on this weekend's annual Formula One race, which is expected to draw at least 300,000 local and foreign visitors.