Singapore launches haze-related health subsidies as Malaysia keeps schools shut

On Monday, Singapore's health ministry announced a new subsidy programme that limits out-of-pocket costs for haze-related ailments to S$10 for most patients and S$5 for seniors aged 67 and above. Covered conditions include allergic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and upper respiratory infections. The initiative comes as fires on Borneo and Sumatra, amplified by a turbo-charged El Nino, have generated toxic haze that placed Singapore at the top of IQAir's most polluted city rankings.

In neighboring Malaysia, schools remain closed in southern Johor and parts of Kuala Lumpur and central Selangor, although most other areas have reopened as air quality improves slightly. The haze has also disrupted travel, prompting the Malaysian carrier Firefly to cancel flights between Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport and Singapore's Seletar Airport. The episode highlights ongoing challenges from slash-and-burn land clearing and climate conditions that drive transboundary smoke across Southeast Asia.