World · Malaysia Bureau
Agong orders school closures if air quality index hits 150-180
Malaysia's Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim has directed schools to shut their doors when air pollution reaches hazardous levels, prioritising student health and safety during the country's current haze crisis.
LSN Malaysia ·
Sultan Ibrahim has issued a royal directive requiring educational institutions across Malaysia to cease operations when the Air Pollutant Index (API) climbs to between 150 and 180, a range classified as unhealthy for vulnerable populations.
The instruction underscores the monarch's commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of schoolchildren amid Malaysia's ongoing battle with transboundary haze. Health officials have repeatedly warned that prolonged exposure to hazardous air quality poses significant risks to young people, elderly citizens, and those with respiratory conditions.
The API threshold of 150-180 falls within the "unhealthy" category on Malaysia's air quality scale, indicating that members of the general public may begin experiencing health effects. Schools operating at this pollution level would expose students to air quality that health authorities deem unsafe for prolonged outdoor and indoor exposure.
The directive reflects growing concern among Malaysian authorities about the recurrent haze phenomenon that blankets the region during certain seasons. Education officials are expected to implement the royal instruction immediately, ensuring that school management receives clear guidance on activation protocols when air quality deteriorates to the specified levels.
Parents and school administrators are advised to monitor daily API readings from the Department of Environment Malaysia to determine operational status during the haze season.