The closures come as air quality worsens across Johor, with several areas recording unhealthy API readings on Wednesday. In Batu Pahat, the API reached 203 on Tuesday night, placing it in the ‘very unhealthy’ range and marking the highest reading in the country, according to local news outlet the New Straits Times.
Malaysia’s API scale lists readings of 0 to 50 as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy and above 300 as hazardous.
Elsewhere in Johor, Segamat and Pasir Gudang recorded API readings of 171 on Wednesday afternoon, followed by Tangkak at 168, Kluang at 166, Larkin at 162, Kota Tinggi at 160 and Pengerang at 156.
Meanwhile, Johor chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to play a more active role in addressing the regional haze crisis and convene an emergency meeting.
“With effective cooperation, prevention, monitoring and response, efforts can be implemented immediately and effectively for the people across the region,” he said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
This was raised during a meeting with the Indonesian consul general in Johor Bahru Sigit Suryantoro Widiyanto, said Onn Hafiz.