Syed Saddiq urges Asean pressure, financial squeeze on firms linked to haze

Forest and land fires raging for months in Indonesia have recently caused thick haze in Singapore and Malaysia, leading to school closures in several states due to unhealthy air pollution levels. ASEAN chair, the Philippines, announced on Tuesday that the haze will be a topic of discussion at the upcoming November foreign ministers meeting.

The Indonesian wildfires, primarily on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands, are the most severe in 11 years. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan confirmed he would bring up the haze issue with his ASEAN counterparts, stating that existing natural disaster mechanisms do not cover haze. Malaysian airline Firefly extended flight cancellations between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore until Wednesday due to poor visibility and accessibility issues, citing discussions with Indonesian officials.

Singapore ranked among the world's top two most polluted major cities early Tuesday, according to air quality monitor IQAir. The haze from Indonesian fires has led to tens of thousands of respiratory illness cases. Firefly stated the flight suspensions were a proactive safety measure, with further updates on schedules communicated directly to affected customers.