The recurring haze affecting Malaysia is partly linked to agricultural burning as well as forest and peatland fires in Indonesia, with smoke carried across the border by prevailing winds, former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said.
He said whenever forest and peatland fires occur in Indonesia, the resulting smoke can typically drift into neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
Khairy also criticised Indonesia’s enforcement efforts in tackling open burning and environmental crimes, including action against companies allegedly responsible for the fires.
“Among other reasons, this problem cannot be resolved because, I am sorry to say this to my friends in Indonesia, we live next to what is genuinely a Third World country.
“Enforcement on the ground is still lacking. I am not saying Malaysia does not have enforcement problems, but this is truly a country that could be considered a banana republic,” he said on the Keluar Sekejap talk show.
Khairy said Indonesia’s track record in prosecuting companies over environmental offences was also weak, with legal proceedings often taking years to conclude.
He said the Indonesian government’s response to the issue appeared to be largely passive and reactive, focusing on efforts such as putting out fires and conducting cloud-seeding operations.
“Meanwhile, the real causes, such as weak enforcement, corporate impunity when no action is taken against them, and cheap land-clearing practices, continue as usual,” he said.
According to Khairy, this ultimately creates an externality that Malaysia and other neighbouring countries, including Singapore and Brunei, are forced to bear.
He said Malaysia could sympathise with the challenges faced by Indonesia if its response to the issue was not dismissive or defensive.
“However, I have seen this happen repeatedly. Being dismissive and defensive is one thing, but there is also a sense of entitlement to say, ‘This is happening within our borders, so it does not matter. Just accept it.’
“Yet we are literally forced to breathe the smoke and haze coming from your country,” he said.
