KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will send a letter to the Asean Secretariat on the need to formulate and enforce a uniform trans-boundary haze law across the region to avoid recurrence of the problem in the future.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said in the same letter Malaysia would seek the assistance of the Jakarta based secretariat on how it can assist to mitigate the on-going haze.
“This ministry is going to send a letter to the Asean secretariat to see whether or not they can help us to mitigate the current haze problem and in the future, there is a need for Asean trans-boundary haze act.
“The act should be uniform across the region especially countries which have been affected by haze,” she said after attending a panel session at the #mydigitalmaker Fair 2019 here today.
At the moment, she said, Malaysia does not have legal power to act on the trans-boundry haze.
“It would also be difficult for Malaysia to enforce trans-boundary act locally because we need to have (support) at the Asean level.
“That is why the ministry has decided to send the letter to the Asean secretariat,” she said.
She also reiterated that Indonesia should conduct an investigation and take necessary action against the those responsible for triggering the haze.
“Indonesian government has the power to investigate whatever companies they find are the culprits behind this (haze).
“If proven, the Indonesian authorities can take action against whoever, regardless if they are Malaysians or Indonesians, without fear or favour.”