DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim has rejected claims that the government is being ‘soft’ in addressing the issue of transboundary haze from Indonesia, which is becoming increasingly concerning.
On the contrary, the Prime Minister asserted that the government has done everything possible to tackle the matter.
“We have done everything we possibly could (in seeking a resolution to the haze issue)”, he said briefly after launching the University of Malaya (UM) Student Residence Project on Thursday.
He made these remarks when asked to comment on claims by former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who suggested that Malaysia has adopted a ‘soft’ approach in its dealings with Indonesia regarding the haze issue.
In the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Khairy acknowledged that Malaysia must employ diplomacy, but argued that the government should take a firmer stance to defend the nation’s interests.
“But I believe that when someone is strangling you, you cannot simply let them continue. At the very least, you should push their hands away or strike back. That is not happening.
“I understand diplomacy, but I am deeply disappointed with the government for its unwillingness to defend us,” Khairy said, as reported on Wednesday.
On October 13, Anwar urged Indonesia to take immediate action to address open burning and the haze, which are affecting the health of Malaysians.
The Prime Minister stated that such action is crucial to ensure that effective measures can be implemented to tackle open burning—a key contributor to transboundary haze.
On October 8, Anwar indicated that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had expressed his readiness to take the necessary steps to address the situation causing the haze in Malaysia.
He noted that this matter was discussed directly with Prabowo via a telephone call. – October 15, 2026