Former MP urges Malaysia to hold polluters accountable and protect outdoor workers from haze
Former DAP MP Charles Santiago called on the Malaysian government to make plantation firms disclose their holdings and to provide affordable protection for workers exposed to hazardous haze.
Charles Santiago, a former DAP parliamentarian, urged Malaysia to move beyond simple mask advisories and tackle the root causes of transboundary haze. He asked companies investing in Indonesia's Kalimantan to voluntarily publish concession maps and subsidiaries, enabling the government to match these disclosures with fire data and investigate links to the smoke. Santiago also pointed out that many outdoor workers—delivery riders, construction crews, traffic staff—face prolonged exposure and cannot afford pricey N95 respirators, which cost up to RM60 per unit.
He called for bulk purchasing, price controls and mandatory employer provision of certified masks, as well as clear air-quality thresholds to suspend unsafe outdoor work. The former MP appealed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Human Resources Minister R Ramanan, and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, and urged stronger inter-ministerial coordination and regional cooperation under ASEAN agreements.
Why it matters
The haze threatens public health and livelihoods, and accountability could reduce pollution and protect vulnerable workers.
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