General : Malaysia Remains Committed To Offer Of Aid To Indonesia To Tackle Haze - Ahmad Zahid

Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to assisting Indonesia in tackling the transboundary haze that has been affecting the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The pledge was discussed during a Cabinet meeting last Friday to ensure coordinated measures for the benefit of both nations.

Indonesian authorities have deployed over 16,000 personnel along with aircraft and firefighting helicopters to combat the haze, but aerial operations are facing challenges due to poor visibility and the absence of suitable cloud formations for cloud-seeding. Zahid expressed sympathy for Indonesia's predicament, emphasizing that the haze is causing adverse health effects for Malaysians, particularly those with allergies.

The Deputy Prime Minister spoke after officiating at the Bagan Datuk 2026 Sultan Nazrin Shah Bridge Run, which attracted 1,700 local and international participants from countries including Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, France, India, Nepal, and Thailand. Despite heavy rain during the event, Zahid noted that next year, the bridge run will be upgraded to a full marathon, hoping for better weather conditions.

The event included three categories, with the 5km run having the highest participation at 759 runners (44.6%), followed by the 21km (33.8%) and the 10km (21.5%).

Bilateral communication has already been initiated with the Indonesian government leadership to discuss the current situation, according to Zahid.