Johor Menteri Besar Dr Sahruddin Jamal said a survey found that forest reserves and state government land was not affected by the fire, 60 per cent of which has been contained.
“Right now, various agencies are working to put out the remaining fire,” he said today.
Sahruddin said the state government administrative centre in Kota Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri, would continue to operate as usual despite the surrounding haze.
He said the state government had taken note of and appreciated the advice of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who ordered for schools in the area to be temporarily closed for the safety of the students.
The State Education Department had ordered Tanjung Adang national primary and secondary schools in Gelang Patah to postpone classes today and tomorrow. Deputy director Ab Rahim Lamin said the postponement was implemented at the advice of the Johor Disaster Committee.
‘’To date, no student or pupil has been affected but we have conducted a check at both the schools and we feel the quantity of smoke can affect their health. So at the advice of the Department of Environment, Johor Bahru district officer and the Johor Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department we closed the schools for two days,’’ he said.
SMK Tanjung Adang, with 245 pupils, is located beside the location of the forest fire, while SK Tanjung Adang, with 148 students, is located about 200 metres away.
This morning executive councillor Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is Kota Iskandar assemblyman, accompanied the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Tuanku Iskandar to inspect the scene of the fire.
He said various agencies were still struggling to put out the fire. The teams comprised 70 officers and firefighters and personnel of the Drainage and Irrigation Department, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Iskandar Puteri Municipal Council and various other agencies.
“We have just received two additional water pumps from Batu Pahat DID last night to help put out the peat fires on top and underneath the ground in view of the limited water supply for this operation,” he said in a statement here today.
Works to dig out a trench was also ongoing to prevent the fire from spreading.
According to him, Kampung Pekajang and Kampung Tanjung Adang located near the fire area, have 517 and 447 residents respectively.