Fahmi: Malaysia ready to help Indonesia fight forest fires, awaiting green light

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian government is currently on standby and ready to support Indonesia in combating the forest fires that have led to haze in the region, according to Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, the government spokesman. Nadma and the Foreign Ministry have briefed the Cabinet on the available assets, which were then relayed to the Indonesian authorities.

However, Fahmi clarified at a press briefing that no updates or confirmation has been received from Indonesia regarding the utilization of Malaysian assets to aid in extinguishing the fires. Permission from Indonesia is required before Malaysia can deploy its resources to assist. Fahmi, who serves as the communications minister, emphasized this point.

Earlier, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had called for enhancements to the existing ASEAN mechanism for handling transboundary haze, stressing the urgency of addressing the issue. He highlighted that the problem necessitates serious consideration from the relevant ASEAN ministers, given the severe impact on public health, especially for children and infants.

The forest and peatland fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra regions have resulted in a significant transboundary haze, causing air quality to reach hazardous levels in certain parts of Malaysia.