Govt mulls special law to handle transboundary haze

The Malaysian government is considering enacting a special law to tackle transboundary haze pollution, a problem that has seen two areas recorded at unhealthy air quality levels and 41 areas at moderate levels. G Pubadi, the Environmental Management Division undersecretary at the natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry, revealed that the government recently formed a special committee comprising relevant ministries and agencies to explore ways to enhance efforts against the haze.

The committee is examining strategies similar to Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014, which grants the city-state legal authority to act against companies whose activities outside Singapore contribute to haze in the area.

Drafting a special act is a complex process, Pubadi acknowledged, as no straightforward solution exists. Malaysia's involvement in addressing the transboundary haze issue has been significant, with the country presenting a paper on science diplomacy and a haze fund at Asean meetings in Bali in July. The proposal for the haze fund garnered support from Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

The matter will be reviewed by the Asean secretariat and discussed further at a meeting involving 11 countries in Vietnam in December.

Pubadi emphasized the importance of financial sustainability in bolstering Asean mechanisms to effectively combat the haze problem. The environment department's enforcement director, Rosli Zul, noted that the transition to the northeast monsoon, anticipated around mid-October, could help alleviate the impact of transboundary haze as wind patterns change.

Zul assured that monitoring efforts would intensify post-mid-October to ensure domestic fires do not exacerbate the haze issue. These measures would include weather forecasting collaboration and the use of satellite imagery. As of 9am today, two areas recorded API readings at unhealthy levels, while 41 areas reported moderate air quality.