Malaysia, Indonesia pledge closer cooperation to tackle haze

Malaysia and Indonesia have vowed to enhance their cooperation in addressing the issue of transboundary haze, which the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup identified as a shared regional challenge. Speaking at the International Conference on Tropical Forestry 2026, Kurup emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts among ASEAN nations to tackle this persistent problem.

The two countries agreed to boost collaboration in monitoring hotspots, enforce stricter regulations against open burning, and even explore cross-border cloud seeding operations. Kurup, who recently met with his Indonesian counterpart during an ASEAN meeting, stressed the need for joint efforts in monitoring the spread of haze, increasing enforcement agencies, and potentially sharing resources such as airspace for cloud seeding initiatives.

He highlighted that the looming super El Nino conditions, characterized by drier weather and heightened fire risks, necessitate a more robust regional response. Kurup reiterated that haze is not solely a domestic issue for Malaysia but a regional concern that affects neighboring countries as well. He affirmed Malaysia's commitment to continue advocating for improved regional coordination at the ASEAN level to effectively combat this shared environmental hazard.