Malaysia urges ASEAN to tighten action against haze

MALAYSIA has urged ASEAN member states to tighten enforcement against open burning and step up preparations to deal with the risk of transboundary haze as dry conditions persist in parts of the region.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said countries should keep a close watch on high-risk areas and hotspots, while ensuring firefighting operations were ready to respond when needed.

He said the approach was in line with the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), which calls for closer cooperation among member states in preventing and dealing with haze.

“Although fire incidents are currently under control within the borders of member states, the risk of transboundary haze requires collective preparedness and heightened vigilance at the regional level,” he said in a statement today.

Kurup said early intervention and the quick sharing of information between countries could help prevent fires from developing into a wider regional haze problem.

He said Malaysia had conveyed its position to ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn through an official message yesterday.

Kurup said prolonged dry weather in southern parts of the region had already led to an increase in hotspots and haze.

The situation could become more serious in the coming months, he said, with the El Niño phenomenon expected to strengthen gradually.

Malaysia also welcomed the ASEAN Secretariat’s role as the interim ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACC THPC), particularly in sharing information and coordinating preparedness measures among member states.

Kurup said ASEAN countries needed to remain alert and work closely to manage the risk before the situation worsened.

“Malaysia is confident that the firm commitment and proactive action of all ASEAN member states will strengthen regional resilience in facing climate challenges and help safeguard a sustainable, healthy and haze-free environment for present and future generations,” he said. – August 22, 2026