‘Clean air not a luxury’: Manufacturers in Malaysia demand Asean accelerate haze-free roadmap

KUALA LUMPUR, October 9 — The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has called for urgent, tangible action from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to end transboundary haze pollution. The federation warned that recurring haze inflicts serious harm on public health, worker safety, and economic productivity. As severe haze engulfed Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DOE) recorded 38 out of 68 nationwide monitoring stations reporting unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) levels, with Seremban topping the list at 186.

FMM president Jacob Lee Chor Kok emphasized that industrial and economic growth should not compromise environmental sustainability. "Clean air is not a luxury. It is a fundamental requirement for public health, economic productivity, and sustainable development," the statement read. The federation noted that ongoing haze causes widespread workforce absenteeism, disrupts outdoor logistics and factory schedules, and raises operating costs through mandatory purchases of protective equipment and industrial air filtration systems.

While recognizing existing Asean frameworks, such as the 2003 Transboundary Haze Pollution Agreement and the 2023-2030 Haze-Free Roadmap, the FMM stressed the need for swift, measurable implementation. The industrial group proposed five key actions for regional governments: upgrading monitoring systems with satellite imagery, ground-level sensors, meteorological data, and AI; enforcing zero-tolerance penalties for illegal open burning and accelerating peatland rehabilitation; promoting responsible regional supply chains through strict environmental due diligence and SME support; accelerating financing, clean technology, and scientific research; and safeguarding frontline workforces by implementing workplace safety guidelines and budget incentives.

To break the cycle of smoke pollution, the FMM outlined five priority interventions: improving monitoring systems, enforcing penalties for illegal burning, promoting responsible supply chains, accelerating financing and research, and safeguarding frontline workers. The federation urged Asean to develop public scorecards tracking progress against haze reduction targets, enforce strict penalties against illegal burning, support small-scale farmers with alternative clearing methods, and provide tax incentives for green technologies and workplace air quality monitoring.

The statement concluded, "A haze-free Asean must become a measurable achievement, not merely a recurring aspiration."