On June 24, 2013, Kuala Lumpur was in the midst of one of the most severe Southeast Asian haze crises in history. While the peak of the crisis had hit Singapore and southern Malaysia (specifically Johor) a few days earlier, by the 24th, the smoke had drifted northward, engulfing the Klang Valley.
The Situation in Kuala Lumpur (24.06.2013)
- Air Pollution Index (API): The API in Kuala Lumpur reached 198 on this day—just two points shy of the "Very Unhealthy" category (201–300).
- Visibility & Sensation: Residents reported a "pea soup" of polluted air. The smell of burnt wood was pervasive, and visibility was so poor that the Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower were often obscured.
- School Closures: Due to the deteriorating air quality, the government ordered the closure of schools in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Malacca to protect students.
- Health Precautions: Face masks (especially N95s) became a common sight as pharmacies struggled to keep up with demand. People were advised to stay indoors as hospital visits for respiratory issues began to spike.
Regional Context
The 2013 haze was primarily caused by illegal "slash-and-burn" land clearing in Sumatra, Indonesia.
- The Emergency: While KL was at "Unhealthy" levels, a state of emergency had already been declared on June 23 in the southern districts of Muar and Ledang, where API readings spiked to a record-breaking 746.
- Diplomatic Tension: The crisis caused significant strain between Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. On June 24, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a formal apology to Malaysia and Singapore for the hazardous smog.
API Scale for Reference
Hj Zulheimy Maamor
4/1/2026: 6.32 p.m
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