Indonesia brings Bandung Spirit to UN Talks on Africa

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Indonesia have commenced talks to explore joint measures to combat forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra that have triggered transboundary haze. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan revealed that the dialogue encompassed relevant agencies and ministries from both nations, such as the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the Foreign Ministry, and the National Security Council (NSC).

The secretary-general, Tan Sri Amran Mohamed Zin, engaged in discussions with the NSC and Nadma from the Indonesian side to find a collaborative approach to tackling these fires. This marks the latest development in their diplomatic efforts. The nature of cooperation will be determined by the outcome of the discussions, but for the first time, the authorities of both countries have initiated talks on how they can work together to address the haze, which appears to be intensifying.

Foreign Minister Mohamad stated this during a press conference following the handover ceremony for a solar photovoltaic (grid-connected PV) system installation project at the Foreign Ministry and three other government premises. He emphasized that the discussions represented an initial step for both nations towards identifying ways to cooperate in tackling forest fires and the haze, which had persisted for over a month and was nearing two months.

He added that the prolonged haze had not only affected Malaysia but also posed a threat to the health of people in Indonesia and Singapore. Mohamad expressed optimism that both countries, through their respective agencies and foreign ministries, would explore cooperative solutions to address the forest fires together.