KUCHING: There is no intention to take legal action against the companies responsible for forest fires in Indonesia yet, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri.
“We have not heard of plans in wanting to sue the companies.
“Malaysia and Indonesia have been in constant discussions over the haze problem, and we hope for positive outcome from the discussions. There is no need to sue anyone,” she said after officiating SM Teknik Sejingkat’s event at the State Library this morning.
The de facto law minister was responding to questions on whether the Malaysian government had plans to sue the errant companies as the Singaporean government was doing.
“There are many things to look into, particularly in the areas of international laws and international relations. It can be quite debatable. We have to see where our jurisdiction is. Then we have to see which companies and what areas are involved, and so on.
“We also have yet to see the success rate of Singapore in suing the companies,” she said.
Under the Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which came into effect September last year, regulators can fine or sue individuals or companies for activities that lead to severe air pollution in the island nation.
The Act allows Singapore’s National Environment Ministry to formally ask its Indonesian counterpart for a list of companies suspected to be behind land or forest fires once the information has been confirmed.