KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia hopes Indonesia will soon accept its offer of help to tackle the worsening haze.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said Malaysia had offered expertise and assistance, but Indonesia had not yet accepted as of yesterday.
"We have offered expertise and assistance to the Indonesian government.
"However, there are conditions and several matters that are still being decided.
"We really hope that Indonesia will accept Malaysia's offer because the haze situation is getting worse," he told reporters after launching the Symposium on the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme: Prosperity Through Partnership, organised by the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations today.
Lukanisman said Malaysia would use bilateral and multilateral platforms to discuss the issue, and the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is expected to raise it at the Asean senior ministers' meeting next month.
Lukanisman said Malaysia is also ready to deploy a firefighting team to Indonesia if it accepts the help.
"We are always prepared.
"If Indonesia accepts, we will expedite the deployment of our mission for firefighting or to share our experience in managing forest fires," he said.
Asked why Indonesia had not yet accepted, Lukanisman said it might be trying to handle the situation on its own, using whatever mechanisms it has.
"Our assistance will involve logistics and the deployment of personnel, which requires screening.
"Indonesia may also be studying what expertise and equipment we would bring to help them, particularly in Kalimantan," he said.
As of 8am today, 22 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy air quality.
An expert said the haze is expected to gradually improve by the end of this month as the country enters the monsoon transition phase, which could bring more rain and changes in wind direction and speed.
Universiti Malaysia Perlis Faculty of Civil Engineering and Technology associate professor Dr Norazian Mohamed Noor said these factors could help reduce atmospheric pollutant concentrations and limit the cross-border movement of smoke from Indonesia.
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