LETTER: The Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, says it should clear in two weeks. But that just means the wind will change direction. It does not mean the problem is solved.
Year after year, the haze comes back. It affects our health, closes schools, hurts businesses, and costs us billions of ringgit.
Waiting for the wind to blow it away only gives us a few weeks of relief. Next dry season, it will be back — unless we stop it at the source.
We need to know who is responsible.
If companies are clearing land by fire, destroying peatland, or letting fires spread, their names must be made public.
There is no good reason to keep them hidden. The public has a right to know who causes this yearly suffering.
The Asean haze agreement was supposed to stop this. But clearly, it is not working. We need real enforcement, not just polite words.
Indonesia should accept help to put out the fires — but that help must go hand in hand with accountability.
Those responsible must be named, investigated, and punished. Clean air is not a favour. It is a basic right.
We should not have to rely on good weather to breathe safely. The wind will shift — but the smoke will keep coming back until we stop those who are responsible.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Chairman
Alliance For A Safe Community
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