In Malaysia, frustration grows over Indonesia haze

Malaysia is growing increasingly frustrated with Indonesia's haze caused by Indonesian wildfires. Schools have closed and sports centers shuttered due to the smoky air pollution that has polluted the region, including Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Timor Leste. Malaysian parliamentarian Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman criticized the Indonesian government, saying that residents feel outcast in the region due to the fires.

Malaysian parliamentarian Syerleena Abdul Rashid called for Malaysia's responsibility in the issue, asking why Malaysians should continue paying for actions outside their borders. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended the approach, stating that Malaysia has done everything possible to engage Indonesia on the issue. Tour operators and workers at popular tourist sites like the Batu Caves complained about the poor visibility caused by the haze.

Malaysia has offered aid to Indonesia in fighting the fires but the offer was taken up only on Wednesday after talks involving disaster management officials on both sides. Indonesia's wildfire crisis is exacerbated by the strong El Nino weather phenomenon, causing it to burn through hundreds of thousands of hectares. Previous attempts to address transboundary haze pollution have failed due to lack of enforcement mechanism.

Malaysian parliamentarian Hassan Abdul Karim urged ASEAN members to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the latest crisis, provided Indonesia is willing to address its ego and pride.