Malaysia seeks regional cooperation to combat worsening transboundary haze

Malaysia is intensifying efforts to manage worsening transboundary haze caused by forest and land fires in Indonesia. The Sultan of Pahang, Abdullah, has called on residents and plantation operators in Kalimantan to cease open burning to prevent further deterioration of air quality and protect public health.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup stated that Malaysia is coordinating with Indonesia to provide aid, including aerial water bombing and cloud seeding operations. The Minister emphasized that addressing the haze requires regional cooperation through ASEAN rather than mutual blame, proposing ‘science diplomacy’ and a ‘Sustainable Haze Fund’ to support regional fire prevention.

Domestically, the haze has reached unhealthy levels in 38 Malaysian regions, with high Air Pollutant Index (API) readings recorded in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and Selangor. In response, the government has conducted seven series of cloud seeding operations and increased monitoring and enforcement against local open burning.