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View all search resultsASEAN urged to take extra measures on regional haze amid rising health concerns
Toxic transboundary haze makes Petailing Jaya in Malaysia look like it is in misty highlands despite being located less than 100 meters above sea level, says a resident.
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A woman walks as haze shrouds Petronas Twin Towers and other commercial buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 13, 2026. Toxic haze has shrouded parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for weeks as Indonesian authorities struggle to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Kalimantan and Sumatra, with the smoke drifting across the region. (AFP/Mohd Rasfan)
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eptember is usually the month when haze comes down to Selangor, Malaysia, where Evelyn Toh, 54, lives, but this year, she thinks the haze is “the worst” in recent years. The pollution makes Petailing Jaya in Selangor look like it is in misty highlands despite being located less than 100 meters above sea level.
“I was driving last week and I could see the car in front, but I cannot see the traffic light about 100 meters ahead,” Evelyn told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Aside from visibility concerns, the university lecturer was also concerned about the health impact from the toxic pollution, as she heard some friends had fallen sick from various respiratory illnesses at the moment.
Evelyn herself has suffered from itchy throat, nose and eyes, and she is taking care of her two elderly parents whose breathing is affected by the declining air quality.
“I sort of learned how to adapt to live with it already,” she said. “We try not to go out so often, but what to do? I have to work. But it does affect people.”
With haze from wildfires in Indonesia reaching neighboring regions such as Malaysia, pressure is growing on the Indonesian government and ASEAN to push for extra measures against transboundary haze, as toxic pollution raises health concerns among local populations.
Several regions in Malaysia have seen their air quality drop to unhealthy levels according to measurement by Swiss-based air monitoring company IQAir.
