Civil society groups have urged the Indonesian government to publicly name all companies, particularly Malaysian-owned firms, allegedly linked to regional forest fires and open burning amid worsening haze in parts of Malaysia.
Greenpeace Malaysia interim country representative Heng Kiah Chun said greater transparency was needed to establish which companies were responsible for the fires and resulting haze.
He said Indonesian authorities had pointed to Malaysian and Singaporean companies operating in the region, while the companies had maintained that they followed environmentally responsible practices.
“Transparency is required so responsible companies can clear their names and non-compliant ones can be held accountable,” Heng said after submitting a memorandum to an Indonesian embassy official today.
Heng and Brendon Gan, a representative of student advocacy group Himpunan Advocacy Rakyat Malaysia (Haram), also called on the Malaysian government to introduce a standalone Transboundary Haze Act.
They said that although Malaysia was the first signatory to adopt the 2002 Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, the country still lacked extraterritorial legislation allowing its courts to prosecute Malaysian companies operating abroad.
Gan urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to engage directly with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to facilitate the sharing of data, analysis and company lists to address the environmental crisis jointly.
He warned that progressive youth and civil society groups would hold elected representatives accountable if they failed to demonstrate the political will needed to tackle transboundary haze.
Earlier, about 20 people gathered outside the Indonesian embassy, holding placards including “Can’t breathe”, “Belum merdeka dari jerebu” and “Name them, show the evidence, take action”.
The group also chanted “Tolak, tolak asap!” and “Tolak, tolak jerebu!” during the demonstration.
The protest followed remarks by Indonesian lawmaker Marwan Dasopang, who called on Malaysia and Singapore to help prevent forest fires in Kalimantan instead of merely complaining about the haze, noting that companies from both countries operate palm oil plantations there.
Meanwhile, the air pollutant index (API) in Serian, Sarawak, reached a hazardous 517 at 10.45am today.
According to the Department of Environment, API readings in East Malaysia ranged from moderate to hazardous, while readings in Peninsular Malaysia ranged from good to unhealthy.
