Kindergartens under the Social Welfare Department (Kemas) are closed automatically when schools in the surrounding areas are declared closed by the Education Ministry due to the haze.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a statement today that the closure of the Kemas kindergartens was in line with the decision of the Education Ministry.

"The matter had already been decided previously but the people had yet to know about it in general," he said.

Ismail Sabri also called on the operators of the Kemas kindergartens to always be sensitive about announcements by the Education Ministry as the lessons were taught in classes that were not airconditioned.

Earlier, Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid announced that all schools in the peninsular except for Kelantan had been ordered closed for two days beginning tomorrow due to the haze.