KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Malaysia is prepared to send military assistance to Indonesia for its battle against open burning, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said after Singapore extended a similar offer.
Hishammuddin said that he was personally affected by the choking haze that reached near hazardous levels in some parts of the country.
“I’m more than willing because I’m suffering from the haze too, I’m asthmatic,” he told reporters with a smirk at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) today.
“It needs a regional effort. My relationship with (Singapore and Indonesia’s defence ministers) Ng Eng Heng and Ryamizard Ryacudu is very close.”
The Umno vice president said he will consult with his Singaporean counterpart to learn what aid the republic is offering and see if Malaysia could match the resources.
He added that if the haze issue is not addressed immediately, it may possibly harm regional ties.
“I don’t want it to happen like ambassador Huang’s issue,” he said referring to China’s ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang, who triggered controversy last week by saying would not hesitate to speak out against any threat that may affect the country’s ties with Malaysia.
Slash-and-burn land clearing in Indonesia triggers an annual haze problem in the region that continues to be a sore point with its neighbours.
The pollution caused air quality in some parts of Malaysia and Singapore to reach extremely unhealthy levels last week.
