PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will demand effective action from Indonesia to tackle fires causing transboundary haze when it raises the issue at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila early next month.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said Malaysia respected its bilateral ties with Indonesia but had the right to demand measures to protect Malaysians' health and well-being.
"We respect our good relations with Indonesia, but we also have the right to demand effective action when transboundary pollution affects our people.
"Malaysia is ready to help. We hope Indonesia will step up efforts to put out fires at their source and take firm action against those responsible," he said at a media engagement on the haze situation here today.
Arthur said the cabinet had decided to raise the issue regionally, with the Foreign Ministry tasked with bringing it up under the Asean framework.
He said Asean members had to respect the principles of national sovereignty and decision-making by consensus, but Malaysia remained firm on its right to demand clean air for its people.
"The foreign minister will brief the government on the outcome of the meeting before further action was decided, he added.
He said Malaysia has also proposed science diplomacy and a sustainable haze fund through Asean mechanisms to strengthen regional prevention, preparedness and monitoring, while continuing to examine policy and legal measures to address transboundary pollution.
"Malaysia will also host the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution meeting next year as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in tackling the problem.
"We are trying out some methods to overcome the worsening haze situation and if proven to be effective, we will announce the measures next year," he said during a media editors engagement session held at the ministry today.
Arthur said the government had taken preventive measures before the haze situation worsened, including activating the National Open Burning Action Plan on Feb 15 and convening the National Haze and Dry Weather Main Committee meeting on June 15 to strengthen agencies' preparedness.
He also met his Indonesian counterpart in Bali on July 8, followed by an Asean ministerial meeting the next day.
Further diplomatic engagements and formal offers of assistance were made in August and September.
"Action had begun before the haze became increasingly serious. However, I acknowledge that the results have yet to meet the expectations of the people," he said.
The Interim Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control raised its alert level to the highest stage on Aug 26.S
"Satellite observations on Oct 14 showed extensive clusters of hotspots in southern Sumatra and parts of Kalimantan, while monsoon winds carried smoke into Peninsular Malaysia, western Sarawak and Singapore" he added.
The ministry also has warned that El Niño is expected to persist until the middle of next year, with conditions forecast to intensify to a "Super El Niño" from October to January next year.
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