Schools Closed for Five Days

Johor Bahru — The Johor State Government in Malaysia has decided to close all schools and educational institutions for five days starting Monday (19/10/2026). The policy was adopted following lingering haze caused by forest and land fires (karhutla — kebakaran hutan dan lahan) in Indonesia, which continues to blanket the state.

The decision was announced by the Chairman of the Johor State Education and Information Committee, Dr. Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali, following a meeting of the Johor Haze Management Coordination Committee on Saturday afternoon (17/10/2026). The closure was also ordered under the decree of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, with the state government prioritizing the safety and health of the public.

"Monitoring reports indicate that Air Pollutant Index (API, or IPU — Indeks Pencemaran Udara) readings remain at worrying levels without significant improvement," said Muhammad Naqib. He emphasized that the duration of the closure will be reviewed based on ongoing air quality trends, weather forecasts, and continuous health assessments.

Air Quality Fails to Improve

Data from the Department of Environment Malaysia showed that Pasir Gudang recorded an API reading of 190 on Sunday (18/10) at 08:00 local time — the highest in Malaysia and falling within the unhealthy range (101–200). Eight monitoring stations across Johor registered unhealthy air quality, including Larkin and Kota Tinggi (181), Pengerang (178), Batu Pahat (169), Kluang (163), Tangkak (160), and Segamat (157).

Health impacts have also worsened. Throughout October 2026, 30,648 cases of asthma and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI / ISPA — infeksi saluran pernapasan atas) were recorded in Johor — a 20.7 percent increase compared to the previous week. Local health authorities have urged the public to wear respiratory masks and limit outdoor activities, particularly for children and high-risk groups.

PdPR Continues in Third Closure Round

While schools remain closed, Home-Based Teaching and Learning (PdPR — Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran di Rumah) sessions will continue under the Ministry of Education Malaysia's PdPR Manual Version 2.0. Limited exceptions are granted only to students sitting for examinations and assessments, coordinated by the Johor State Education Department (JPNJ — Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Johor) under strict health protocols and without extracurricular activities.

This marks the third closure within a month. Johor had previously closed all schools for two days starting October 8, 2026, and later extended the closure for five days from October 12–16, 2026. The haze blanketing Johor originates from forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, predominantly in peatlands prone to combustion during dry weather, which is then carried across borders by winds.

Amid the crisis, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has proposed ASEAN-level cooperation to bolster the management of transboundary pollution. The school closures in Johor serve as a reminder that the impact of forest fires does not stop at the burn sites — transboundary smoke continues to disrupt education, health, and economic activities in neighboring countries.