Boycott firms linked to transboundary haze, says Syed Saddiq

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has called on Malaysians to boycott companies involved in forest fires that have caused transboundary haze, urging consumers to use their purchasing power to put pressure on these firms. He emphasized that Malaysians should not solely rely on the government to tackle the issue, highlighting their own capacity to influence Indonesian companies.

The call for boycotts emerged as the haze situation worsened, leading to school closures in several states and prompting the declaration of an emergency in Serian, Sarawak, due to hazardous air quality. Syed Saddiq also urged Malaysia to adopt a firm diplomatic stance against Indonesia and seek support from other ASEAN countries, especially Singapore.

He proposed that Malaysia consider enacting legislation similar to Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which would enable action against companies responsible for pollution beyond national borders. Additionally, he advocated for taking strong action against Malaysian companies found to be complicit in the forest fires.