Met Dept: Kedah, Perlis may see mercury rising to just below 40 degrees

PETALING JAYA, March 22 — Even as schools in Kedah and Perlis were ordered closed today and tomorrow as the temperature averaged more than 37 degrees three days running, the worst may be yet to come.

Metereological department director general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail said it may rise by the end of week to replicate the 38.9 on Saturday and 39 degrees on Sunday. 

She said the 37 degree average level meant the two states had reached phase two of the heat alert system.

“The people of Kedah and Perlis are in the thick of a heatwave, ' she said, adding that the temperature hit 38.9 on Saturday and 39 degrees on Sunday. 

The closure will affect 853 schools in both states with 413,786 students including kindergarten students staying at home.

Under the department's four-tier system, when the temperature remains at 37 degrees for 72 hours, a heatwave warning will be issued to the public.

Once the mercury breaches the 37 degree mark for three consecutive days,  schools and kindergartens will be closed.

When it touches 40 degrees over a seven day period, an heatwave emergency will be declared.

Meanwhile, Science and Technology Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said the temperature hit 37 degrees in four major towns yesterday.

They are Batu Embun, Pahang, Chuping, Perlis, Keningau, Sabah and Prai, Penang.

“We are expecting the temperature to remain the same in the four areas tomorrow (today) as well,” he said.

The Education Ministry, in a statement, said  the closure of schools will only involve the absence of students with administrative staff reporting for work as usual.

It said meetings, planning of syllabus and other routine activities that did not require students' involvement will continue.

The statement said schools would not be required to replace the two days they would be closed.

Meanwhile, National Union of Teaching Profession president Hashim Adnan said schools in the two states should also be closed on Thursday.

He said this was because schools closed on Friday and Saturday in Kedah and Perlis. 

“If the weather is the same on the third day, you cannot simply tell people to go back to school. That is wrong.”

“What happens if the weather remains the same? Are they going to close again? You’ll be a laughing stock,” he said.

 He urged the authorities to ensure that students had enough water to drink.

“'There shouldn’t be any excuse. Schools must provide water to children should they remain open,” he said.