PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia can expect to experience transboundary haze from next month until October, due to the hot and dry weather in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia.
However, the severity of the haze is expected to be moderate due to the La Nina phenomenon, which will hit Malaysia within the same period.
Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri Wan Dr Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said La Nina is expected to bring heavy rainfall, thus reducing the impact of the haze.
"Based on research by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) in Singapore, the La Nina phenomenon may cause floods in some areas in Malaysia including Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang," he told reporters here today.
Wan Junaidi also said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Sumatra to tackle the transboundary haze pollution would not be signed; instead the Indonesian government would address the problem through government-to-government (G2G) cooperation.
"Indonesia cannot proceed because the MoU will not be effective as the Sumatra province alone cannot tackle the problem and would require the central Jakarta government's cooperation.
“Thus, the technical committee meeting will be held on May 30 to discuss the instruments needed under G2G to tackle the transboundary haze issue, "he said.