Indonesian Lawmaker Urges Malaysia And Singapore To Help Prevent Haze, Says They Have Plantation Interests
An Indonesian lawmaker has urged Malaysia and Singapore to do more to help prevent forest and land fires in Indonesia, arguing that businesses and individuals from both countries also have plantation interests there.
Marwan Dasopang, chairman of Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission VIII, made the remarks as smoke from fires in Kalimantan continued to affect parts of neighbouring Malaysia.
He said Indonesia faced significant difficulties in controlling forest and land fires because of the vast areas involved. According to reports, he also pointed to Malaysian and Singaporean interests in plantations in Indonesia, including the oil palm sector.
‘Don’t Just Protest’, Says Indonesian Lawmaker
Speaking at Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta, Marwan called on parties from Malaysia and Singapore with business interests in Indonesia to contribute towards preventing forest and land fires.
“Don’t just protest, take part in prevention too,” he said.
Marwan suggested that companies and individuals connected to Malaysia and Singapore could play a role in fire prevention efforts on the ground. However, he did not name any specific companies or provide evidence that particular Malaysian or Singaporean-owned plantations were responsible for the fires currently affecting the region.
His comments come amid renewed concerns over transboundary haze, which can carry smoke across national borders and affect air quality in neighbouring countries.
The issue has previously been a source of diplomatic tension in Southeast Asia, particularly during periods of severe forest and peatland fires in Indonesia.
No Formal Protest From Malaysia Or Singapore Confirmed
Despite Marwan referring to Malaysia and Singapore as protesting about the haze, another Indonesian lawmaker said there was no confirmation that either country had submitted a formal diplomatic protest over the latest fires.
Dave Laksono, deputy chairman of Indonesia’s House Commission I, said he had not received information confirming an official protest note from either Malaysia or Singapore.
Instead, he urged Indonesia to continue communicating with its ASEAN neighbours while strengthening measures such as early fire detection, land monitoring, firefighting and enforcement against illegal land-clearing practices.
Malaysia has also emphasised regional cooperation rather than confrontation.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to strengthen hotspot monitoring and enforcement against open burning. Both countries have also explored measures such as cloud seeding when weather conditions require it.
Malaysia has subsequently called for stronger preventive action among ASEAN countries under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
Sarawak Among Areas Hit By Worsening Haze
The latest political exchange comes as parts of Sarawak experienced deteriorating air quality linked to smoke travelling from Indonesia.
Malaysia’s Department of Environment previously reported that moderate to dense smoke plumes from clusters of hotspots in West Kalimantan were moving northwards towards western Sarawak.
At the time, authorities detected 489 hotspots across Kalimantan, compared with 19 in Sumatra and 11 in Malaysia.
The haze became serious enough to affect education in Sarawak, with 591 schools temporarily ordered to close on Aug 20 and 21. The closures affected nearly 200,000 students as authorities responded to worsening air quality and hot, dry conditions.
Several locations also recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings, with some areas subsequently reaching very unhealthy levels.
Indonesia Battles Rising Number Of Fires
Indonesia is also facing a significant increase in forest and land fires this year.
Almost 95,000 hectares of land were reportedly burned across Indonesia in July alone. That figure was nearly twice the total area recorded during the first six months of the year combined.
Hotter and drier conditions associated with El Niño have contributed to an increased risk of fires, although individual incidents can have multiple causes.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has visited affected areas in West Kalimantan and ordered a coordinated response to the fires. He has also warned that companies found to be using burning as a method of land clearing could face legal action.
With smoke travelling across borders, the latest episode highlights why forest-fire prevention has become a regional environmental and public-health issue for Southeast Asia.
While Marwan’s comments have placed attention on the role of foreign plantation interests, Indonesia’s own authorities continue to face pressure to prevent fires at their source and strengthen enforcement against those responsible for illegal burning.