Malaysia's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein falls ill due to haze

Malaysian Chinese artists perform a dragon dance despite a thick haze hovering over Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sept 26, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has fallen ill because of the haze, according to a post on this Twitter account.

"Jerebu masih teruk (Haze is still terrible) - I have already lost my voice and my nose is blocked," he tweeted on Sunday (Sept 27).

He also replied to some tweets on the haze situation and urged people to stay indoors.

"I'm asthmatic too - keep him indoors," he advised a user named @keantee whose son has asthma.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin also agreed that the haze situation should be discussed at regional level as it appears to becoming a yearly affair.

Prime Minister Najib Razak was concerned over the worsening haze situation in the country.

Datuk Seri Najib, who is currently in New York, said he was aware that some states have recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API).

"I understand that the haze situation in certain states in Malaysia is at an unhealthy level. Reduce outdoor activities, if needed, use face mask," advised Mr Najib on his Twitter and Facebook on Sunday.

On Sunday, the Education Ministry said in a statement that schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and several parts of Sarawak would be closed on Monday.

The schools affected in Sarawak are located in Kuching, Sri Aman and Kota Semarahan.

The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the closure was because the API readings in these areas reached unhealthy and very unhealthy levels.

On Sept 15, schools in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Malacca were closed after API readings in some of the areas rose to nearly 200.

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