Zahid says Malaysia ready to help Indonesia fight forest fires after Prabowo accepts foreign aid

TIANJIN, Oct 16 — In a show of solidarity, Malaysia has pledged its support to Indonesia in the ongoing battle against rampant forest and land fires, following President Prabowo Subianto's decision to accept foreign aid. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed Malaysia's readiness to offer assistance, despite the aid being modest in nature.

The Malaysian government emphasized their commitment to the friendship and strong bilateral ties between the two nations. "The assistance we have provided is small, but we are prepared to send aid to aid our neighbour," Dr Zahid stated. The remarks were made during an afternoon tea session with Malaysian journalists, just before Dr Zahid departed for China, concluding a five-day working visit.

Earlier, Indonesian Foreign Ministry official Arrmanatha Nasir reported that President Prabowo had approved offers of assistance from neighboring countries, with technical discussions underway to determine the delivery methods. However, no specific countries or forms of aid were mentioned. Prior to this, on September 19, Ahmad Zahid had confirmed that Prabowo accepted Malaysia's offer during a meeting in Hambalang, West Java.