Malaysia says it stands ready to assist Indonesia with forest-fire response

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he has been monitoring the latest developments of the forest-fire emergency that is also harming public health in Malaysia and forcing schools to close in multiple states. He reaffirmed that Malaysia remains ready to extend the assistance it previously offered to Indonesia. Anwar commended Indonesia’s effort, which involves tens of thousands of responders and various air-borne resources, but warned that the scale of the burnt area and unpredictable weather make containment challenging.

He stressed that addressing trans-national haze requires mutual commitment and responsibility, reflecting the close ties between the two neighbours. To that end, he said Malaysia has proposed an ASEAN-wide cooperation framework to strengthen coordination, preparedness and collective action against cross-border haze. The statement underscores the regional dimension of the environmental disaster and the governments’ intent to work together.