Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin says the Indonesian government should do whatever necessary to control the haze situation after it singled out four Malaysian-linked firms as the cause of some forest fires in Indonesia.
Yeo said that several other firms in Indonesia were also responsible and Jakarta should take action if it is proven that their laws have been broken.
On the Malaysian side, Yeo said Putrajaya has offered to assist Indonesia and also planned to carry out cloud seeding.
However, she stressed this would only bring about temporary relief, and any lasting solution was dependent on Indonesia putting out the fires causing the transboundary haze.
"The four companies (responsible) are up to the Indonesian government to investigate. I think there are many more other companies in Indonesia also involved - according to reports there are 30 companies.
"So, we believe the Indonesian government should do whatever is necessary to investigate and take action against whoever that is proven to have gone against the law," she told journalists after attending a special cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.
Yesterday, the Indonesian government announced it sealed off parts of plantations belonging to some 30 firms, four of which were Malaysian-linked, as part of an investigation into the forest fires.
Yeo said she had met with Indonesian diplomats to convey Malaysia's complaints.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also written to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to express concern.
Asked if Indonesia was still reluctant to acknowledge that burning in the country was causing transboundary haze, Yeo noted that Jakarta has begun mobilising to put out the fires.
Previously, Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar claimed Malaysia was not transparent about hotspots reported.
She claimed while Indonesia may be contributing to some haze, the Indonesian minister alleged that fires in Malaysia were causing the haze.
Yeo said the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Malaysian Meteorological Department are on standby to conduct cloud seeding whenever the situation is suitable.
"But it is only temporary relief. What is important is for Indonesia - and if they allow us to join in - for all of us to put out the fires immediately.
"That is our priority right now to overcome the haze problem," she said.
Almost half of all recording stations across Malaysia recorded poor air quality this morning, according to the Department of Environment's tracking of the Air Pollutant Index (API).
At 11am today, 30 stations across the country recorded "unhealthy" API readings while three more recorded "very unhealthy" readings. There is a total of 68 stations nationwide.
According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), as of yesterday, there were 627 hotspots in Kalimantan and 55 in Sumatra, 10 in Sabah and Sarawak and one in Peninsular Malaysia.
ASMC’s tracking has shown that the haze in Peninsular Malaysia is coming from Sumatra while the haze in Sabah and Sarawak is coming from Kalimantan. - Mkini
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