Today's top Malaysian news, sport and lifestyle.
Penang's education authorities will shift schools to online learning if the Air Pollutant Index reaches 200 during haze season. The department is monitoring four stations and has established contingency plans for upcoming major sporting events.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre has warned that worsening dry conditions threaten to escalate haze and air pollution across southern ASEAN, with Malaysia and Sarawak already experiencing unhealthy air quality levels.
Selangor's local authorities have been directed to strengthen surveillance against open burning activities following the activation of Malaysia's National Haze Action Plan, with five areas recording unhealthy air pollution levels.
All educational institutions in Lubok Antu District will close tomorrow as haze degrades air quality in the Sarawak region. The closure affects nearly 4,000 students across 28 primary and two secondary schools.
A Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin researcher urges Malaysia to shift from reactive crisis management to predictive haze forecasting, integrating existing data to detect pollution risks 48-72 hours in advance and reduce respiratory illnesses.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has appealed to Malaysians to pray for the haze to clear before National Day on August 31, as air quality concerns loom over the nation's patriotic celebrations.
Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari has assured that the ongoing haze crisis will not hamper national athletes' preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, with contingency measures including increased indoor training.
Indonesia and Malaysia are escalating joint efforts to combat transboundary haze affecting the region, with weather modification operations now central to their coordinated strategy following severe fires in West Kalimantan.
A prominent social activist has pressed ASEAN to fundamentally reform its two-decade-old haze agreement, demanding binding enforcement mechanisms and joint regional prevention systems to combat recurring transboundary pollution across Southeast Asia.
Perak's health department has activated disease surveillance protocols at hospitals and clinics to monitor haze-related illnesses including asthma and respiratory infections following moderate air pollution readings across several areas.
Malaysia faces significant haze risks through August 31 affecting Sarawak, Sabah, and peninsular states, forcing authorities to reconsider National Day celebration arrangements in Putrajaya.
Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development will conduct special prayers of supplication at three major mosques tonight, responding to the haze crisis affecting multiple states and calling citizens to seek divine intervention.
Malaysia is mobilising ASEAN diplomatic channels to address transboundary haze affecting Southeast Asia, with several Sarawak districts registering hazardous air quality levels amid regional environmental concerns.
Sarawak has closed 591 schools temporarily due to extreme heat and dryness, impacting nearly 200,000 pupils. The measure reflects growing concerns over forest fire risks and water scarcity across multiple districts.
Serian residents are pushing through hazardous air conditions with an API reading of 178, though traders report significant income losses and 107 schools have temporarily closed through Friday.
Sarawak is pressing for sustained ASEAN-level engagement to tackle transboundary haze affecting eight areas, while exploring cloud seeding options to combat prolonged dry conditions.
Malaysia's weather authorities forecast sustained hot, dry conditions across Sarawak extending through August 20, driven by southerly winds and numerous fire hotspots. Ten locations nationwide registered unhealthy air quality readings.
Malaysia's education authorities have clarified that school principals can decide to close their institutions when air quality deteriorates to hazardous levels. The move reflects ongoing concerns about haze and its health impacts on students.
Penang authorities are prepared to halt outdoor activities at schools and other venues should air pollutant levels deteriorate, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced. Current readings remain moderate across the state.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye urges Malaysia to adopt preventive rather than reactive approaches to transboundary haze, citing deteriorating air quality in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia as an early warning sign.
Selangor's Menteri Besar has pledged the state will take decisive action regarding the 2026 Malaysia Games if air pollution reaches unhealthy thresholds, with the Johan Setia area currently experiencing degraded air quality.
Sarawak's disaster management authority has warned of transboundary haze spreading across 19 districts, with unhealthy air quality already recorded in five locations as smoke from Indonesian hotspots drifts northward.
Singapore's Haze Task Force stands prepared to deploy contingency measures if air quality drops to dangerous levels. The National Environment Agency is tracking the situation as smoke from Sumatra and Kalimantan drifts into the region.
Environmental authorities in Kedah are tracking air quality following a fire that engulfed four factories in Lunas on July 28, with API readings at moderate levels and no casualties reported.
Serian in Sarawak has recorded an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index reading of 153, with 11 other areas showing moderate pollution levels. Regional authorities warn of escalating transboundary haze risks until September.