Malaysia to seek preventive measures, diplomatic cooperation over transboundary haze, says Zahid

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi emphasized Malaysia's focus on diplomatic cooperation and preventive measures to tackle transboundary haze, rather than seeking financial compensation from neighboring countries. This pragmatic approach, he stated, is most efficient in addressing sensitive issues among ASEAN nations while ensuring seamless technical coordination.

He added that it would be unwise to only pursue compensation as it does not guarantee attributing liability to any particular nation. Instead, proactive preventive actions should be undertaken to circumvent the need to handle such complex inter-state disputes. During a press conference, Zahid stated that the matter of economic, health, and tourism impacts due to transboundary haze would be raised during his upcoming visit to Indonesia from Sept 17-20 in connection with the Halal-20 Conference.

The transboundary haze issue would be discussed with Indonesia's Environment and Natural Resources Minister, alongside other topics such as the halal sector. In terms of aid, the Malaysian National Disaster Management Agency is prepared to offer cloud seeding operations and logistical support to Indonesia in combating forest and peatland fires in Kalimantan should an official request be made.

The Malaysian government is also adopting an "anticipatory action" strategy to combat the adverse effects of Super El Niño, such as extreme heat and dry conditions. This involves monitoring hotspots, preparing firefighting assets, managing peatlands, punishing open burning, and informing the public about health risks. Furthermore, the National Disaster Management Council has allocated RM5 million for this year's OPA and related management, with RM2 million for Phase One and RM3 million for Phase Two.