Malaysia, Indonesia step up haze response with weather modification plans

Jakarta, August 28 - Indonesia and Malaysia are ramping up their response to transboundary haze by coordinating on weather modification operations along their border regions. The initiative follows a spike in air pollution from forest and land fires in West Kalimantan, with Air Pollutant Index (API) readings reaching 195, a level deemed "very unhealthy" in Sarawak as of 9am Friday.

Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Information, and Disaster Communication Centre, revealed that bilateral discussions between the two countries are ongoing to strengthen cooperation in prevention, monitoring, and support for weather modification efforts. Although Malaysia has shown readiness to assist in firefighting, Jakarta has not yet requested direct firefighting assets such as water-bombing support.

However, they remain open to such cooperation when the need arises. Malaysia and Indonesia agreed on August 24 to intensify prevention and firefighting measures, with Malaysia even granted permission to enter Indonesia's airspace for cloud-seeding operations. The haze situation has significantly impacted Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, and Perak, which have all recorded unhealthy air quality readings.

The Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak highlighted that the haze situation in Kalimantan has worsened this year, following a lack of severe haze reports in 2024 and 2025. They are encouraging Malaysians in West Kalimantan to comply with health directives, including wearing masks, shifting school lessons online, and reducing outdoor activities.

The consulate is primarily focused on the well-being of the 577 Malaysians registered in West Kalimantan, most of whom are expatriates. In 2023, the Malaysian Consulate had provided six water pumps to the West Kalimantan Governor’s Office to aid local firefighting efforts.