‘We cannot sit back’: Malaysia offers aircraft to fight Indonesia forest fires despite dangerously poor visibility

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Malaysia cannot afford to stand by as raging forest fires in Indonesia send thick haze across the region, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today, as the country offered to deploy helicopters and water-bombing aircraft to help contain the blazes.

But Mohamad warned that dangerously poor visibility, reportedly below 50m in affected areas, could hamper aerial firefighting operations and put pilots at risk.

“It is indeed difficult. Even the Japanese team was previously unable to do anything and has since returned to their country. But as a country affected by the situation, we cannot simply sit back and do nothing,” he said, according to Sinar Harian .

Speaking to reporters at the 10th National General Assembly of the National Solidarity Association (PerSoNa) in Melaka, Mohamad said the fires were burning deep in remote inland areas, making them difficult to reach by land.

Thick smoke was also preventing aircraft from operating safely.

“Aircraft cannot fly because the haze is extremely thick, with visibility of less than 50m.

“The Air Pollutant Index (API) in Kalimantan has also reached 1,000, indicating an extremely severe situation,” he said.

Mohamad stressed that the safety of pilots and other personnel must remain a priority in any proposed operation.

“We have to be careful. We cannot force pilots to fly in dangerous conditions. We will not do that,” he said.

He said discussions were under way between agencies from both countries to determine what assistance could be provided, taking into account the remote locations of the fires and the severity of the haze.

Senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the National Security Council (MKN) were holding talks with their Indonesian counterparts to work out the details of a possible deployment.

“Apart from offering helicopters and water-bombing aircraft capable of carrying water, they are looking at ways Malaysia can help Indonesia extinguish the forest fires that are currently raging out of control,” he said.

Mohamad said the outcome of the discussions would be presented to the Cabinet soon for approval before assistance could be extended to the Indonesian government.

The proposed assistance comes as Indonesia struggles to contain widespread forest and peatland fires that have sent thick smoke across parts of Southeast Asia.

Indonesia has agreed to accept international assistance to tackle the fires, with authorities assessing offers from neighbouring countries.

The transboundary haze has also disrupted daily life in Malaysia, with worsening air quality prompting health concerns and school closures.

In Johor, schools and educational institutions have been ordered to remain closed until October 23 as the state continues to grapple with unhealthy air quality.

The latest crisis has renewed concerns over the recurring impact of forest and peatland fires in Indonesia, which have repeatedly caused severe haze across the region.