Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim states Malaysia will not protect any Malaysian companies found responsible for forest fires in Indonesia.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will not shield any Malaysian company found to be involved in fires in Indonesia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today, while calling for the recurring transboundary haze issue to be raised at the Asean level.
Anwar said the minister concerned would raise the matter for discussion among Asean members, while cautioning that allegations linking Malaysian companies to the fires had yet to be established.
“That is the allegation, but actually, many of the fires we detected came from forest areas. Even if there are Malaysian companies involved, we will give Indonesia the space to take action.
“If it happens there, they will take action there and we will not defend them,” he told reporters after meeting Plantation and Commodities Ministry staff here.
Indonesia said on Aug 31 that it was inspecting 19 companies after fires covering a combined 11,047ha were detected within their concession areas across seven provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
The companies were not identified at the time.
Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry subsequently imposed administrative sanctions on five companies in West Kalimantan after fires were detected within their concession areas, including suspending business licences and ordering environmental rehabilitation.
Malaysian civil society groups have since called on Indonesian authorities to disclose whether Malaysian-linked companies were among those being investigated.
Asked whether Asean’s existing mechanisms were sufficient to address recurring transboundary haze, Anwar said there was room for improvement.
“There is room for improvement. I think the minister concerned must look at this seriously because this affects lives, especially children and babies.
“If we look at Serian, it has been extremely disruptive,” he said.
The haze prompted an emergency declaration in Serian, Sarawak, on Sept 4 after the Air Pollutant Index exceeded 500.
The emergency was lifted yesterday following an improvement in air quality, although authorities said haze conditions had yet to fully subside.
