Haze: Malaysia still awaiting Indonesia’s response to firefighting aid offer, says DPM Zahid

Malaysia is still awaiting a response from Indonesia regarding its offer to provide firefighting aid to combat transboundary haze in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reported. During a meeting in Jakarta the previous month, Zahid met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and a representative of the Vice-President to discuss the assistance.

Despite submitting written requests to their respective counterparts, no response has been received thus far. Zahid expressed optimism that Indonesia may not require Malaysia's aid, but remains hopeful for a positive outcome. The offer included a firefighting aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 officers and personnel from Malaysia's Special Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART).

SMART, which also supports domestic disaster management efforts, has previously assisted in locating Malaysians affected by disasters in Nepal. Zahid highlighted SMART's recent recognition as the second-best rescue team in Asia and its continued international Heavy Urban Search and Rescue classification following a 36-hour assessment.