World : Haze: Indonesia Says Coordinating With Malaysia On Weather Modification

Jakarta, Aug 28 — Indonesia has coordinated with Malaysia to combat transboundary haze, beginning with weather modification operations along their shared border regions. This initiative follows the release of concerning smoke from forest and land fires in West Kalimantan, which is severely impacting air quality in Sarawak. Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in some areas reached a reading of 195 as early as 9am Friday, indicating very unhealthy conditions.

Berton Panjaitan, the Acting Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Centre, revealed that both nations are currently engaging in discussions to further address the haze issue. Communication with neighboring countries is ongoing, and bilateral talks between Malaysia and Indonesia have resulted in strengthened cooperation in areas such as prevention, monitoring, and weather modification support, Panjaitan disclosed.

Malaysia has indicated its willingness to assist in firefighting efforts, although Jakarta has not yet formally requested direct firefighting assets like water-bombing support. As of August 24, Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to step up prevention and firefighting measures to tackle transboundary haze, following meetings between Malaysian Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup and Indonesian Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat.

Indonesia also granted Malaysia permission to enter its airspace for cloud-seeding operations. The haze has even affected the capital cities of Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, and Perak, all of which have recorded unhealthy air quality readings. The Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak revealed that the haze situation in Kalimantan has worsened this year, as no severe haze was reported in 2024 and 2025.

The consulate noted that Malaysians living in West Kalimantan, numbering 577, are complying with all directives, including wearing masks, shifting school lessons online, and minimizing outdoor activities when necessary. The consulate emphasized its focus on the health of the registered Malaysians, most of whom are expatriates. Previously, Malaysia contributed six water pumps to the West Kalimantan Governor’s Office during the 2023 firefighting efforts.