No Malaysian plantation firms linked to Indonesia forest fires, says Fahmi

Government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil stated that no Malaysian plantation companies with oil palm concessions in Indonesia were found to be involved in the forest fires linked to the haze. According to the New Straits Times, cross-checks revealed that most observed fires occurred outside concessions owned by Malaysian companies. In one instance involving Genting Plantations, a fire spread from outside the plantation into the area rather than originating within it, but the fire has since been extinguished.

The fires on Indonesia’s Java island have caused four deaths and led to a surge in respiratory complaints and school closures across the region. Malay Mail reports that Singapore topped IQAir’s live ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has vowed to take legal action against companies responsible for the blazes under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, though legal experts noted that investigations depend on cooperation from foreign authorities.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times, Malay Mail — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.