ASEAN needs to review and strengthen its mechanism for tackling transboundary haze, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today, as hazardous air pollution in Sarawak underscores the need for more effective regional action.
Anwar said ASEAN ministers must take the recurring haze problem seriously because it directly affects public health and people's lives, particularly children and infants.
“There is room for improvement. I think the ASEAN ministers must seriously look at it, because this is affecting lives, particularly of children, and babies, and if we have seen in Serian, it is really concerning,” he said.
His remarks came after Serian’s air quality returned to the hazardous level, with the district recording an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 302 this morning.
A haze emergency declared in the Serian division on Friday was lifted yesterday after air quality improved, although several areas in Sarawak continue to record very unhealthy readings.
Anwar said ASEAN needed to ensure that its existing mechanisms translated into more effective action against the sources of transboundary haze.
He also stressed that any allegations of open burning in Indonesia must first be thoroughly investigated to establish the actual cause of fires before action is taken against those responsible.
On Malaysian companies operating in Indonesia, Anwar said Malaysia would respect any enforcement action taken by the Indonesian authorities and would not intervene to protect companies found to have contributed to the haze.
“If there are Malaysian companies that are affected (involved), we will give Indonesia space to take action. We will certainly respect the actions there and we will not defend (them),” he said.
As of 8am yesterday, 40 areas nationwide were recording unhealthy API readings, according to the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre has reported moderate to dense smoke haze originating from hotspot clusters in Kalimantan and Sumatra, with smoke affecting parts of Malaysia and other areas in the region.
Anwar said the recurring nature of transboundary haze showed the need for ASEAN countries to strengthen cooperation and ensure existing mechanisms were capable of producing more effective action.
He said protecting public health must remain at the centre of regional efforts to address the haze problem. - September 8, 2026
