Malaysia and Indonesia to step up anti-haze measures ahead of National Day
Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to increase cross-border haze prevention efforts ahead of next month’s National Day and Malaysia Day, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Tuesday.
Source: Free Malaysia Today · August 24, 2026 at 9:45 AM · AI-assisted report
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PUTRAJAYA, 24 AUGUST 2026 —
Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to increase cross-border haze prevention efforts ahead of next month’s National Day and Malaysia Day, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Tuesday.
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Kurup said the two countries are bracing for a possible El Niño-driven intensification of haze risk from October, when the southwest monsoon peaks. He made the remarks after speaking with Indonesia’s environment minister Jumhur Hidayat, according to a Bernama report.
Malaysia has secured Indonesian clearance for its cloud-seeding aircraft to operate along the shared border, Kurup added. The National Disaster Management Agency and the Malaysian Meteorological Department are coordinating flight schedules with the Indonesian armed forces to align haze-suppression operations.
Kurup also reiterated Malaysia’s readiness to help Indonesia fight forest fires if Jakarta requests assistance, subject to Cabinet approval. As of 10 am on Tuesday, ten locations in four states recorded unhealthy API readings, with Serian in Sarawak at 197 — near the threshold for very unhealthy air.
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