JOHOR BARU: All mosques and surau in Johor have been asked to hold special prayers after Maghrib today and continue doing so until the haze improves.
State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the solat hajat initiative was aimed at seeking divine intervention for the haze to subside and air quality to improve.
He urged Muslims across the state to take part in the prayers and seek protection for the public's health and well-being.
The initiative comes as seven of Johor's eight air quality monitoring stations recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with Pasir Gudang recording the highest at 174.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the dominant pollutant at all eight stations, while Segamat was the only location with a moderate API reading.
Fared expressed hope that the collective prayers would contribute to the well-being of Johoreans as the state awaits an improvement in air quality.
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