Malaysia’s latest haze cost RM8b in welfare losses, may have led to 1,700 deaths, report finds
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Malaysia’s recent haze episode carried an estimated RM8 billion in welfare losse...
In October 2026, a report commissioned by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) revealed that Malaysia's recent haze episode caused an estimated RM8 billion in welfare losses. The health burden of premature deaths, valued between RM3 billion and RM15 billion, was attributed to short-term exposure to fine particles from fires.
The haze disrupted manufacturers indirectly through staff absences and school closures, with 81% of 59 surveyed sites experiencing more sick leave or health-related absence, while 63% reported school closures affecting staff availability. The survey received responses from 86 FMM member sites, including 81 manufacturers, with over two-thirds reporting some operational impact.
The report cautioned that the survey was not representative of all manufacturers, as most responses came from Selangor and Penang, and only two from Sarawak. The haze caused disruptions to approximately 8.4 million to 13.4 million student-days due to school closures, but no monetary value was assigned to any loss in teaching quality.
The report estimated 1,700 deaths related to the haze, with a 95% interval of about 1,300 to 2,300, covering the period from July 1 to October 22. About 1,600 deaths were attributed to smoke from fires outside Malaysia.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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