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Indonesia’s wildfires have triggered a regional air pollution crisis, forcing school closures and disrupting daily life in neighbouring countries, while growing frustration in Malaysia is putting pressure on governments to demand stronger action from Jakarta.
Malaysia has closed schools because of the haze and offered Indonesia assistance in fighting the fires. The pollution has also affected Singapore, the Philippines and East Timor, where schools were closed this week.
Malaysian parliamentarian Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman this week urged regional countries to treat Indonesia as an “outcast” over its failure to control the fires, reflecting mounting public anger at the recurring crisis.
“Malaysia and Indonesia are close neighbours, but that relationship must also come with responsibility,” parliamentarian Syerleena Abdul Rashid told AFP.
“Why should Malaysians continue paying the price for irresponsible actions beyond our borders?” she said.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended his government’s approach on Thursday, saying Malaysia had “done everything we can” to engage Indonesia on the issue.
At the popular Batu Caves tourist site, visitors and workers also expressed frustration as thick haze obscured the surrounding landscape.
“You cannot see,” tour operator Diddy Hamidon told AFP, adding that the Indonesian government needed to “do the right thing”.
Malaysia’s offer to help fight the fires appeared to gain traction on Wednesday following discussions between disaster management officials from the two countries, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said.
The authorities had begun talks on possible cooperation as the haze worsened, he said, adding that the form of assistance would depend on the outcome of the discussions.
Indonesia regularly experiences wildfires during its annual dry season, but this year’s blazes have been aggravated by a strong El Niño cycle, which tends to bring drought to the country.
The fires have burned hundreds of thousands of hectares in Indonesia, sending pollution levels soaring across the region.
The crisis has revived criticism of a 2002 ASEAN agreement on transboundary haze pollution. The pact was intended to promote regional cooperation in preventing and controlling smoke pollution, but critics say it has failed to ensure effective action.
James Chin, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania, said the agreement lacked an enforcement mechanism and was widely regarded as ineffective. Previous attempts by Singapore to hold companies linked to fires legally responsible have also stalled.
Malaysia has called for an urgent ASEAN meeting to address the latest crisis. The Philippines, this year’s summit host, has confirmed that the issue will be discussed at a foreign ministers’ meeting next month.
“ASEAN members are more than willing to help,” Malaysian parliamentarian Hassan Abdul Karim told AFP, provided Indonesia was willing to set aside its pride.
Anger intensified after Syahganda Nainggolan, chief of an Indonesian communications agency, said in a video that went viral that Indonesia’s forests supplied oxygen to Singapore and Malaysia as well as producing smoke. His remarks drew a wave of criticism.
Syerleena described the comments as “downright insensitive”, saying close ties between the countries should not prevent Malaysia from speaking out against inappropriate remarks.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered the government on Monday to mobilise maximum efforts to combat wildfires that have been burning for three months in some areas.
Chin said mounting public frustration in Malaysia and Singapore was increasing pressure on regional governments, but he expected limited progress because ASEAN members were reluctant to interfere in one another’s domestic affairs.
Syerleena called for greater transparency, stronger enforcement against companies responsible for illegal burning and closer cooperation among neighbouring countries. She said companies linked to the fires should be held accountable regardless of whether they were based in Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore.