Haze chokes Singapore as Malaysia closes schools and flights disrupted

· Climate · Singapore · Malaysia

Singapore's one-hour PM2.5 readings were in the elevated range across all regions, and 24-hour PSI readings were in the unhealthy range in all five regions as of 7am, as toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires blanketed parts of Southeast Asia. Malaysia closed schools in Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor on Oct 9, after shutting all schools in Johor on Oct 8 and 9 due to unhealthy air quality. Five flights, including the Malaysian transport minister's, were disrupted at Johor's Senai airport, with some diverted to Kuala Lumpur and Changi Airport. NGOs in Indonesian Borneo filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the government of "gross negligence" over the annual fires.

Why it matters：The recurring haze is a transboundary public health and economic problem that tests regional cooperation and could worsen as climate change fuels drier conditions.

Key points

  • Singapore's 24-hour PSI was unhealthy in all five regions as of 7am.
  • Malaysia closed schools in three states after shutting Johor's.
  • Five flights at Johor's Senai airport were disrupted, including the transport minister's.

Sources (original reporting)

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