Haze rebounds in 22 areas as Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Putrajaya schools close again on Tuesday
Haze returned to 22 areas of Malaysia on Monday, with Johor the worst hit (Malay Mail, Straits Times); Free Malaysia Today counted 23 at a different hour. The New Straits Times reported the highest API reading at Kota Tinggi, 170, on Monday morning. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said schools cannot close for days as the haze fluctuates (NST), and CNA reported her defending day-by-day decisions. The Johor education department said its daily closure notices are routine updates that do not clash with the state haze order (Malay Mail). The Straits Times reported on Monday afternoon that schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Putrajaya would close on Tuesday; DailyDrop saw that list in that outlet’s headline only. An Indonesian official’s “we send oxygen when there’s no smoke” remark drew mockery (Malay Mail, SCMP), and the Straits Times said President Prabowo ordered tougher action on the fires.
Closures hit parents’ work and children’s learning, and the day-to-day pattern makes planning hard. The cross-border argument decides how quickly the fires, and so the smoke, are brought under control.
Check the notice from your state education department each evening. On unhealthy days keep children indoors and use a mask rated for fine particles outdoors. Firefly had cancelled Subang–Seletar flights to 13 October (Straits Times).
The minister says closing schools for days at a time is not workable when air quality swings from hour to hour.
Parents and some commentators say district-by-district, day-by-day notices are confusing and late.
The 22 and 23 area counts come from different hours and are not a contradiction. DailyDrop could not read the ministry’s own Tuesday notice, so treat the four-district list as one outlet’s report and verify it locally.
DailyDrop Malaysia edition No. 9 · Morning · TUE., OCT. 13, 2026