Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia will not protect companies linked to Indonesian forest fires

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that Malaysia will not protect local companies found to be involved in forest burning activities in Indonesia that cause transboundary haze. He emphasized that Indonesian authorities should be allowed to take action against any parties proven to be responsible, including Malaysian companies operating within Indonesia.

Anwar noted that actions must be based on evidence and respective national jurisdictions to prevent the issue from being politicized. He also called for ASEAN ministers to address the issue more seriously, suggesting that existing regional mechanisms need improvement to better manage transboundary air pollution, which significantly impacts public health, particularly for infants and children.