Malaysia has ruled out taking stronger measures against Indonesia over the worsening regional haze, even as widespread school closures and mounting public frustration fuel calls to punish those responsible for forest fires in the neighbouring country.
“We need to safeguard the close relationship between the two countries. So, we are not going as far as sending a diplomatic note or taking legal action,” Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told local media on Thursday.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government had done its most to engage Indonesia to address the issue. “We have done everything we can,” he said on Thursday.
Thick smog has blanketed large parts of southern and central Peninsular Malaysia, with Johor and Selangor among the worst affected states. The latest wave of school closures includes eight education districts in Selangor on Friday, keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of classrooms.