KUALA LUMPUR: The government has done everything within its means to address the haze affecting the country, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
“We have done all we can,” he told reporters briefly after launching the Universiti Malaya (UM) Residensi Siswa project here.
Anwar was responding to former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who criticised the government’s approach towards Indonesia amid worsening transboundary haze that has affected public health and disrupted daily activities.
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In a recent episode of his Keluar Sekejap podcast, Khairy acknowledged the importance of diplomacy but argued that Malaysia should take a firmer stance to protect its citizens.
He expressed disappointment over what he perceived as the government’s reluctance to confront Jakarta more forcefully over the recurring pollution.
Anwar’s remarks followed diplomatic engagements with Indonesia, including a telephone conversation with President Prabowo Subianto on Oct 8, during which the Indonesian leader expressed his willingness to take the necessary measures to address the haze.
On Oct 13, Anwar again urged Indonesia to take immediate action against open burning and forest fires to prevent further harm to Malaysians’ health.
The haze has disrupted daily life across the country, with 34 of Malaysia’s 68 air quality monitoring stations recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 10am today.
Klang and Johan Setia in Selangor recorded the highest readings at 192, approaching the very unhealthy threshold of 201.
The deteriorating air quality has also prompted temporary school closures in several states and federal territories, including Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, as authorities sought to protect students from prolonged exposure to polluted air.
Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup had said that any proposed legislation to address transboundary haze must take into account its effectiveness, diplomatic implications and enforceability.
He told the Dewan Rakyat that enforcement would be challenging, particularly when gathering evidence and investigating activities beyond Malaysia’s jurisdiction.
Separately, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng proposed yesterday the establishment of a permanent Asean firefighting task force involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines to tackle forest and land fires at their source.
During the Budget 2027 debate in the Dewan Rakyat, Lim also urged Malaysia to consider legal action against Indonesia to seek compensation if Jakarta refused to cooperate with the proposed regional initiative.
He argued that the recurring haze could no longer be treated as a seasonal inconvenience, given its impact on public health, education and livelihoods.