KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — Malaysia remains prepared to extend assistance to Indonesia in addressing forest and land fires that have resulted in transboundary haze. Furthermore, Malaysia has proposed a cooperation mechanism at the Asean level to strengthen joint action in tackling this issue.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that he is closely monitoring the situation regarding the fires, which have impacted the health and daily lives of the Malaysian people — leading, for instance, to the closure of schools in several states and areas.

“Malaysia remains ready to provide assistance, just as we have offered previously,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Anwar acknowledged the efforts of the Indonesian government in deploying tens of thousands of personnel and various aerial assets to contain the forest and land fires. He noted that addressing such a disaster is a complex challenge, given the vast scale of the affected areas and unpredictable weather conditions.

He emphasised that this transboundary challenge must be addressed through shared commitment and responsibility, in line with the close ties between the two nations and the spirit of regional cooperation.

“We have proposed a cooperation mechanism at the Asean level to strengthen coordination, preparedness, and collective action in dealing with transboundary haze,” he also said. — Bernama