Malaysia PM Calls Prabowo Over Haze as Kuala Lumpur Chokes

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reached out to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto regarding the hazardous smog enveloping Kuala Lumpur and other regions, as weeks of devastating wildfires rage across the neighboring archipelago. Air quality in the capital plummeted to the "very unhealthy" range, with the world's second-tallest building and iconic Petronas Twin Towers barely visible through the haze.

Johor, a Malaysian state, closed all schools for the week, impacting approximately 617,000 students. Anwar Ibrahim stated that Prabowo had agreed to take necessary steps, though specifics were not disclosed. Indonesia's Government Communication Agency referred inquiries to the foreign ministry, which has yet to respond. The Southeast Asian region has been shrouded in thick fumes for over a month due to Indonesia's worst wildfire season in years, exacerbated by slash-and-burn farming practices and a potent El Niño.

Malaysia is seeking urgent talks with Indonesia to deploy a team to combat the fires and has proposed a regional meeting of environment ministers. The haze has disrupted at least five flights at Senai International Airport in Johor, with several aircraft diverted to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Greenpeace Malaysia and civil-society groups have called for legislation to grant authorities stronger powers to investigate and enforce against entities responsible for transboundary environmental damage.