GEORGE TOWN, June 24 — Malaysian plantation companies proven to have contributed to the haze pollution that is currently plaguing the country must be prosecuted and sternly punished, the DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today.

Responding to allegations by Indonesia that eight companies owned by Malaysians had used the outlawed slash-and-burn methods to clear land for their plantations, Lim called for Malaysia to launch its own investigations to verify the allegations.

“If Malaysian plantation companies were proven to have carried out such open burning that had caused the present haze crisis, it can be construed as an act of betrayal to Malaysians and the environment so they should be severely and sternly punished, not only by the Indonesian government but also by the Malaysian government,” the DAP secretary-general said in a statement.

He called on the Malaysian federal government to fully verify allegations by Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya that Malaysian plantation companies have ordered local people to start the forest fires and then shifted the blame onto the local residents.

Among the companies involved that Balthasar had reportedly named was PT Tunggal Mitra Plantation, a unit of Minamas Plantation and a subsidiary of Malaysia-based Sime Darby Plantations, one of the world’s largest listed oil palm plantations.

The other plantations named were PT Adei Plantation, owned by Kepong Berhad, PT Langgam Inti Hibrida, PT Bumi Reksa Nusa Sejati, PT Udaya Loh Denawi, PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa, PT Multi Gambut Industri, and PT Mustika Agro Lestari.

“DAP notes that Sime Darby Plantations Bhd had issued a statement vehemently denying these allegations and we hope that the Indonesian government is not trying to divert attention from their failure to prevent such open burning by pinning the blame solely on innocent Malaysian companies,” Lim said.

However, Lim wants the allegations against Sime Darby to be thoroughly investigated due to the company being a government-linked corporation owned by the Malaysian government.

“This serious allegation can adversely damage the international reputation of not only Sime Darby but also Malaysia,” he said.

Balthasar had said the Riau police will follow up with his allegations and Lim believed that Malaysia should launch its own investigations.

Though the Indonesian government has outlawed the use of fire to clear land, the ban was largely ignored and Indonesia has also blamed Singapore-based companies, not only Malaysian companies, for being involved in starting the fires.

Haze had shrouded many southern states of Malaysia and also the neighbouring island state of Singapore in the past week due to smoke from forest fires in Indonesia.

Hundreds of schools in the southern districts of the country have been closed since Thursday due to the thick haze shrouding Johor.

Yesterday, Malaysia delcared a state of emergency for Muar and Ledang districts after the air pollutant index (API) hit 750 in Muar on Sunday morning.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, an API level of more than 300 is in the hazardous category.

Haze is an annual mid-year problem when the westerly monsoon winds blow the smog from the forest fires in Sumatera over to Malaysian soil.

Yesterday, the Malaysian government announced its decision to close all schools in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Malacca today following worsening API readings.