‘Clean air not a luxury’: Manufacturers in Malaysia demand Asean accelerate haze-free roadmap

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has pressed for decisive, measurable regional action from Asean to eliminate transboundary haze, warning that recurring pollution inflicts severe damage on public health, worker safety, and economic productivity.

The industrial group issued the appeal as severe haze blanketed the country, with Department of Environment (DOE) data recording 38 out of 68 national monitoring stations in the unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) bracket this morning, led by Seremban at 186.

In a statement today, FMM president Jacob Lee Chor Kok stressed that industrial and economic expansion must not come at the expense of environmental sustainability.

“Clean air is not a luxury. It is a fundamental requirement for public health, economic productivity and sustainable development,” the statement said.

The federation said that persistent haze triggers widespread workforce absenteeism, disrupts open-air logistics and factory schedules, and escalates operating overheads through mandatory purchases of protective equipment and industrial air filtration.

While acknowledging existing regional frameworks, including the 2003 Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and the Asean Haze-Free Roadmap 2023-2030, FMM stressed that member states must shift from diplomatic consensus to rapid, verifiable execution.

Five-point regional action plan

To break the annual cycle of smoke pollution, FMM outlined five priority interventions for regional governments:

First, member states must upgrade monitoring and early warning systems by fusing real-time satellite imagery, ground-level API sensors, and meteorological data with artificial intelligence. Rapid alerts are vital to ensure factory operators can execute workplace safety protocols before air quality deteriorates.

Second, Asean must enforce zero-tolerance penalties against illegal open burning at source. Member countries must accelerate peatland rehabilitation under the Second Asean Peatland Management Strategy 2023-2030, while providing smallholders and rural farming communities with affordable, non-burning clearing alternatives.

Third, the federation called for responsible regional supply chains. Large corporations must implement strict environmental due diligence and supply traceability, assist small and medium enterprise (SME) vendors with environmental compliance, and curtail emissions from their own plants during haze episodes.

Fourth, Asean must fast-track financing, clean technology, and scientific research. FMM urged the rapid mobilization of capital under the Asean Investment Framework for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management, which aims to raise US$1.5 billion by 2030, alongside joint academic and industrial research into land stewardship.

Workplace safety and Budget 2027 incentives

The fifth priority focuses on safeguarding frontline workforces. FMM urged employers to implement the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) advisory issued on Oct 6, which cautions that fine particulate matter, including PM2.5, easily penetrates buildings through mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

Under DOSH guidelines, manufacturers should curtail strenuous outdoor labour when the API breaches 100 and halt it entirely if readings exceed 200. Employers must provide certified respiratory protection where risks cannot be controlled, offer scheduling flexibility to staff affected by school closures, and activate business continuity plans.

Regionally, FMM called on the Asean Secretariat to publish regular public scorecards tracking progress against haze reduction targets, enforcement milestones, and fund mobilization.

Domestically, the federation urged the federal government to leverage Budget 2027 to expand tax allowances and matching grants for industrial green technologies, pollution abatement, and SME investments in workplace air quality monitoring.

“A haze-free Asean must become a measurable achievement, not merely a recurring aspiration,” the statement said.