Malaysia kekal sedia bantu Indonesia bantu tangani kebakaran hutan, kata PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that Malaysia remains prepared to provide assistance to Indonesia in combating forest and land fires that have led to cross-border incidents, alongside proposing a joint mechanism at the Asean level to strengthen collective action against the issue. The Prime Minister attended a briefing on the recent fire developments, which also impacted the health and well-being of Malaysian citizens, including school closures in several states and regions.

"Malaysia remains ready to provide assistance as previously offered," he said via a Facebook post today.

Anwar acknowledged Indonesia's efforts in deploying tens of thousands of personnel and various assets to contain the forest and land fires, while recognizing that handling such a disaster is challenging due to the open areas affected and unpredictable weather conditions. He emphasized that the cross-border issue requires a shared commitment and responsibility, in line with the close relationship between the two nations and the spirit of regional cooperation.

"We have proposed a mechanism for Asean cooperation to enhance coordination, preparedness, and collective action in dealing with cross-border incidents," he stated.