PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged Asean governments to take decisive action against transboundary haze, warning that recurring air pollution has become a public health emergency rather than a seasonal inconvenience.
MMA president Dr L. Sivanaesan said governments across the region must move beyond repeated assurances and implement concrete measures to address the root causes of haze, which continues to threaten millions of people.
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He said nine air quality monitoring stations recorded Air Pollutant Index (API) readings above 180 on Oct 9, while 37 of the country’s 68 monitoring stations reported unhealthy air quality.
“Behind these figures are children struggling to breathe, elderly patients with worsening heart and lung conditions, and vulnerable communities exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution,” he said in a statement.
Sivanaesan said fine particulate matter (PM2.5) could penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, triggering asthma attacks, worsening chronic respiratory diseases and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
He added that children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with existing medical conditions faced the greatest health risks from haze exposure.
Beyond its health consequences, haze also disrupted children’s education through school closures, affected business operations, reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs, placing additional financial pressure on families, he said.
Sivanaesan noted that Southeast Asia had endured repeated haze episodes for more than two decades, with governments continuing to issue assurances without resolving the underlying causes.
He cited former Indonesian president Joko Widodo’s 2015 pledge to resolve the haze problem within three years, saying forest and land fires continued to produce toxic haze across the region more than a decade later.
“How many more years must millions of people breathe polluted air before these promises translate into lasting results?” he asked.
MMA called on Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Asean collectively to strengthen enforcement of regional haze agreements, establish clear implementation deadlines and publicly report progress.
It also urged authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for illegal burning, including Malaysian-linked companies where applicable, and impose penalties strong enough to deter future violations.
The association called for concession maps and fire hotspot data to be made publicly accessible to improve transparency and accountability.
On public health preparedness, MMA urged governments to activate emergency response plans, monitor haze-related illnesses and ensure healthcare facilities had sufficient staff, medicines and equipment.
It also proposed providing free N95 masks to people who could safely use them, establishing clean-air shelters in severely affected areas and prioritising vulnerable groups.
To minimise disruption to education, MMA called for consistent school closure protocols based on air quality readings, as well as support for students from disadvantaged households during home-based learning.
The association also stressed the need for year-round fire prevention measures, including peatland restoration, early warning systems and sustainable alternatives to slash-and-burn practices.
“Doctors can treat the health consequences of haze, but addressing its root causes requires decisive action and sustained commitment from governments across the region,” Sivanaesan said.
He stressed that people in Southeast Asia should not have to accept toxic air as an annual reality, adding that clean air was a basic right rather than a privilege.
“After more than two decades of recurring haze, the people deserve results, not more promises,” he said.