Isu jerebu: Sarawak digesa ambil tindakan guaman terhadap Indonesia

Sarawak's government is encouraged to take legal action against Indonesia over border disputes that have repeatedly undermined the state, according to activist Peter John Jaban. He argues that the state should seek appropriate remedies through domestic, regional, or international legal channels if solid evidence supports such measures.

Jaban urges both the federal and Sarawak governments to consider legal action against companies or individuals responsible for causing forest and land fires if sufficient evidence links them to the issue. He also calls for an independent assessment to determine the losses and damages suffered by Sarawak, encompassing impacts on public health, environment, economy, and education.

This assessment should be followed by efforts to compensate and provide other forms of assistance to the affected communities and sectors that have proven to bear the brunt of the recurring conflict. Jaban further urges Putrajaya to activate the mechanism under the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, in addition to formally expressing Malaysia's concerns to Indonesia.

He believes that both countries should establish a clear and responsible mechanism to ensure that the haze issue does not continue to recur. Minos stated that the fires have exacerbated public health and economic conditions, citing health issues, school closures, and loss of tourism revenue. He also highlights additional long-term losses as the haze situation worsens in Serian, including medical treatment costs, cancellation of various events, and disruption to work.

Serian had been under emergency condition from Sept 4 to 7 due to severe haze from forest fires in neighboring Kalimantan. The unhealthy aerosol index (IPU) in Serian surpassed the hazardous threshold of 300, driven by thick smoke from forest fires in the region. A total of 28 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy IPU levels at 3 p.m. on the same day, with Serian and two other Sarawak areas - Samarahan and Kuching - reporting IPU readings of 174, 169, and 166 respectively.

Other Sarawak regions with unhealthy IPU levels include Sri Aman (157), Bintulu (155), and Miri (153).