PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s offer to Indonesia to help put out forest fires that have led to haze blanketing the region still stands, the government said today, despite Jakarta putting the proposal on hold.
“Malaysia remains prepared to provide assets, if necessary,” government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said, likely referring to deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s offer of a Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters, and 50 personnel.
Speaking to reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, said the foreign ministry and the natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry have yet to receive an official response from Indonesia in regards to Putrajaya’s offer.
On Oct 15, Indonesian foreign minister Arrmanatha Nasir was reported to have said president Prabowo Subianto approved offers of assistance from neighbouring countries to help combat widespread forest and land fires.
The following day, however, political and security affairs coordinating minister Dudung Abdurachman acknowledged Malaysia’s offer to help, but said assistance would only be considered if the fires were declared a national disaster.
Pending this, he said, the Indonesian government remained confident it could manage the crisis on its own.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed Malaysia’s readiness to assist Indonesia, and said Putrajaya had proposed an Asean-level cooperation mechanism to strengthen coordination, preparedness, and collective action against transboundary haze.
Fahmi also said the Cabinet had been informed that the Indonesian government had taken action against 11 companies over the forest fires.
“However, none of these companies are Malaysian firms,” he said.