Sarawak govt urged to take legal action against Indonesia over haze
Activist Peter John Jaban says the state should seek appropriate remedies for the damage caused to public health, the environment, the economy, and education, among others.
Serian, Samarahan and Kuching in Sarawak are among the areas with the worst air quality today, according to Bernama. The Sarawak government has been urged to take legal action against Indonesia over recurring transboundary haze affecting the state. Activist Peter John Jaban suggests the government should seek remedies through legal channels, both nationally, regionally and internationally, if there is sufficient evidence to support such action.
He calls for an independent assessment of the damage caused by the haze, encompassing health, environmental, economic and educational impacts. Such an assessment should lead to compensation and remedies for communities and sectors suffering losses due to recurring haze. Jaban also urges Putrajaya to invoke the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and formally convey Malaysia's concerns to Indonesia, advocating for a clear and accountable mechanism to prevent future haze episodes.
The Sarian district council has suggested Indonesia should compensate Sarawak for the haze's losses, which include health problems, school closures and tourism revenue loss. The haze has caused an emergency state in Serian from September 4-7, with the air pollutant index (API) exceeding 500, well above the hazardous threshold of 300.
Twenty-eight areas nationwide experienced unhealthy API readings by 3pm today, with Serian, Samarahan and Kuching leading the list with readings of 174, 169 and 166, respectively.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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