Syed Saddiq gesa boikot syarikat punca jerebu

KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has urged the public to boycott companies involved in deforestation that cause border disputes, utilizing financial power akin to the approach by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his conflict with the United Kingdom. As a Member of Parliament for Muar, he emphasized that the public should not solely rely on the government to act, but instead should apply financial pressure on the implicated companies.

"We possess the power and purchasing power that can ultimately make Indonesian companies feel anxious," he stated in the House of Representatives. He also called for Malaysia to issue a strong diplomatic protest to Indonesia and seek support from other ASEAN nations, particularly Singapore, asserting that both countries could leverage their respective financial institutions to curb funding to companies found to be implicated in deforestation.

According to him, deforestation not only reduces tourism and public health but also disrupts education when schools are forced to close. "Children from low-income families are most affected because not all have sufficient computers, tablets, or reliable internet access for online learning," he explained. Syed Saddiq also suggested Malaysia consider enacting legislation similar to Singapore's Border Intrusion (Prevention of Acts) Act to enable action against companies causing pollution to cross borders. He stated that strong action should also be taken against Malaysian companies found to be culpable.