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Indonesia denies smog from forest fires drifted to Malaysia
Malaysia on Friday warned residents of high pollution levels in most areas on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the western Kalimantan region of Sarawak, blaming trans-boundary haze from Indonesia, its Department of Environment said in a statement.
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An aerial view shows the Musi river amid haze due to an ongoing wildfire in Palembang, South Sumatra on September 14, 2023.
(AFP/AI Zulkifli)
T
he Environment and Forestry Ministry on Monday denied accusations that forest fires in Sumatra and its portion of Kalimantan island, which have blanketed some of its cities with thick haze, have also affected air quality in neighbouring Malaysia.
Malaysia on Friday warned residents of high pollution levels in most areas on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the western Kalimantan region of Sarawak, blaming trans-boundary haze from Indonesia, its Department of Environment said in a statement.
Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar responded by saying Jakarta has not detected any travelling haze from Indonesia to neighbouring countries.
"We continue to follow up any development and there is no trans-boundary haze to Malaysia," she said in a statement.
At the moment, Indonesia is focusing on quelling forest fires in some provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan with water bombing from helicopters, the minister added.
As well as maritime boundaries, Malaysia shares a land border with Indonesia on Kalimantan island.
Malaysia has not filed a diplomatic complaint from the haze, Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesperson said.
