Thick haze forces rethink of National Day celebrations in Putrajaya, but cancellation not on cards

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 — The Malaysian government is contemplating adjustments to this year’s National Day celebrations due to a thick haze impacting multiple regions, but cancellation remains off the table, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated today. Cabinet officials, briefed by the Malaysian Meteorological Department on the haze situation, confirmed that neither Putrajaya nor Kuala Lumpur, nor Sarawak, have been spared.

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference, Fahmi affirmed that the event would not be cancelled, but its scale and location could be altered. Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar would convene a meeting later today with relevant agencies, including the Communications, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Meteorological, Education, and Health Ministries, to evaluate the situation and decide on appropriate measures for the celebrations.

The decision will hinge on weather forecasts and haze projections over the next five to six days, with particular attention to API readings, which reached 156 in Putrajaya on Aug 25, classified as "Unhealthy" under national environmental standards.