Najib: No more hot air, please

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Indonesia needs to act against culprits causing haze; Prime Minister proposing a three-country solution

MILAN, Italy: The Indonesian government needs to take action against parties causing the haze problem which has not only affected the air quality of Malaysia but its economy as well, says Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said only Indonesia could take action against them to ensure and prove whether the haze was due to irresponsible plantation companies carrying out open burning or due to the effects of weather changes.

“They are operating there, we want Indonesia to take action, summonsing is one thing but proving they conducted such acts is another. Only Indonesia alone can gather evidence and convict the companies concerned with whatever actions and secondly I said whether the source of the act was due to the companies or spontaneous combustion from effects of changing weather,” he told Malaysian journalists before departing home after a three-day working visit to Milan since Friday.

Najib said the solution to the haze problem needed the close cooperation of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore to formulate more effective measures.

“It will take into consideration the agreement signed by the three countries to combat haze. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are still working on interpreting the agreement into a suitable form of action to ensure the matter does not recur.”

In Kuala Lumpur, Bernama quoted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as stating that Malaysia wanted Indonesia to give more serious commitment in combating haze as the problem is recurring every year.

He said despite the leadership and people of Indonesia appearing to be concerned on the situation, it was insufficient to resolve the issue.

“In this regard, we would be very thankful if Indonesia could discuss with its partners in Asean on taking long term measures. We hope its commitment is not only on paper or mere statements pleasant to the ears, but through implementation which could end all haze problems,” Zahid told reporters after launching a U-TURN programme here yesterday.

The programme produced by the Home Ministry with the cooperation of Al-Hijrah TV is aimed enabling the community to be exposed to the effectiveness of the parole system for prisoners, families and the community.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is prepared to assist Indonesia in putting out forest fires in that country, which has been the main cause for the cross-border haze.

Its director-general, Datuk Wan Mohd Noor Ibrahim, said the department was willing to offer aid if they (Indonesia) needed external support to tackle the haze problem, which was becoming critical lately.

He said the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department had the complete assets and skills needed if the department was chosen to carry out the mission to put out the forest fires in Sumatera and Kalimantan.

“Forest fires are different from the normal fires because the forest is very big…it demands the security agencies to deploy all assets available to put out the fire because the operation is most challenging. — Bernama