KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 ― Indonesian Member of Parliament (MP), Hamdhani Mukhdar Said, has apologised to the Malaysian people for the haze currently shrouding the region.

When interviewed by The Star during a break in the 36th General Assembly of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly here today, Hamdhani was quoted as saying, “The annual haze is not intentional but due to the droughts that affects parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan”.

Hamdhani, who is in charge of environment and international relations, said he would raise this issue with the Indonesian parliament for more efforts to deal with the haze situation.

He also mentioned that the Indonesian central government has allocated US$1 million (RM4.35 million) to provinces affected by peat and forest fires.

The haze which is affecting Malaysia is a result of extensive clearing of forests in Indonesia for oil palm plantations.