Anwar Calls Prabowo Over Haze as Kuala Lumpur Chokes and Tops Global Pollution Rankings
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim contacted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on October 8 about efforts to tackle the thick smog choking Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the country, as weeks of devastating wildfires consume swathes of the neighbouring archipelago. 'The haze situation is indeed worrying,' Anwar told reporters, according to state news agency Bernama. He said Prabowo had 'agreed to take the necessary steps', without providing detail.
Air quality in the capital was in the 'very unhealthy' range on Thursday afternoon, according to IQAir data, and Kuala Lumpur ranked as the most polluted city in the world at that point. Menara Merdeka 118, the world's second-tallest building, and the iconic Petronas Twin Towers were faint silhouettes behind the haze. Johor, the state at the tip of the peninsula, had closed schools through the end of the week, affecting about 617,000 students, according to the state education ministry.
Malaysia is seeking expedited talks with Indonesia to send a team to help extinguish the fires. Anwar said the government was also seeking to arrange a meeting of regional environment ministers, though it had already taken steps to reduce the impact at home, including increasing cloud seeding. Indonesia's Government Communication Agency referred queries to the foreign ministry, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Parts of Southeast Asia have been blanketed in thick fumes for over a month, as Indonesia endures one of its worst wildfire seasons in years. The blazes are linked to long-running slash-and-burn farming practices, exacerbated by a powerful El Niño that has brought dry conditions to the region. For Malaysian residents — including elderly people and schoolchildren in the Chinese community — haze is the most personal health threat of every dry season; this time, Anwar took the call straight to the presidential palace in Jakarta.
Sources: Compiled from Bloomberg's report carried by Livemint (October 8, 2026) and Bernama-sourced reporting by Scoop and Pocket News.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：烟霾笼罩下的吉隆坡天际线，吉隆坡塔与双子塔在霾中隐现。摄影：Benjy8769，CC BY-SA 4.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons
