Lim Guan Eng urges Malaysia to sue Indonesia over haze if Jakarta rejects Asean firefighting task force

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged Malaysia to consider legal action against Indonesia to seek compensation for the worsening transboundary haze crisis if Jakarta refuses to cooperate with a proposed permanent Asean firefighting task force.

Lim said the recurring crisis, which has forced schools to close and disrupted livelihoods, could no longer be treated as an annual inconvenience, calling for a coordinated regional response to tackle forest and land fires at their source.

In his speech during the Budget 2027 debate in the Dewan Rakyat today, the former finance minister proposed establishing a permanent Asean task force involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, with rescue personnel available throughout the year to respond swiftly to outbreaks of forest and land fires.

The call comes as Malaysia continues to grapple with deteriorating air quality caused by smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia, with 34 of the country’s 68 air monitoring stations recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 10am today.

Klang and Johan Setia in Selangor recorded the highest readings at 192, approaching the very unhealthy threshold of 201. The haze has also disrupted daily life, with schools in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and several states ordered to close on October 9 to protect students from exposure to polluted air.

“If the Indonesian government continues to reject the Asean task force on grounds of national sovereignty, the Malaysian government will have no choice but to initiate legal action to seek compensation,” he said, according to the text of his speech.

“Malaysians can no longer remain silent and take no action in the face of this recurring haze crisis.”

The DAP national adviser said forest and land fires in Indonesia had affected an estimated 300,000 hectares this year, an area more than 70 per cent larger than that recorded in 2025.

He also criticised Jakarta for what he described as its reluctance to accept foreign assistance, including offers from Malaysia, despite the growing scale of the fires.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Indonesian government has refused to continue accepting international assistance from Japan, which has already ended, or to promptly accept offers of assistance from foreign countries, including Malaysia,” he said.

“Its justification is that Indonesia is capable of handling the forest and land fires, although the reality suggests otherwise.”

Lim argued that a permanent regional response team, rather than temporary arrangements activated only during emergencies, would allow ASEAN countries to tackle fires before the resulting smoke spread across national borders.

He also called on the Malaysian government to provide financial assistance to people whose incomes have been affected by the haze, particularly gig economy workers and Grab drivers who rely on outdoor work.

“Our schools have been closed, while workers, particularly those in the gig economy and Grab drivers, have been forced to stop working because of the haze crisis,” he said.

“The long-term health effects have yet to be determined. In short, the government should provide financial assistance to those affected.”

Lim said the haze was threatening not only public health and children’s safety but also Malaysia’s economic prosperity, making a lasting regional solution increasingly urgent.

His proposals formed part of a wider speech in support of Budget 2027, which was tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 9.

The haze has become a growing regional concern, with fires in Indonesia affecting air quality across neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.

On October 11, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia was still awaiting Indonesia’s response to its offer to send a firefighting aircraft, three helicopters and 52 personnel to help tackle the blazes, according to Bernama.

Indonesia, meanwhile, said on October 13 that it would assess foreign offers of assistance based on their effectiveness in supporting firefighting operations, according to CNA.