MALAYSIA’S Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (MESTECC) will seek advice from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on the drafting of a Transboundary Haze Act, its minister Yeo Bee Yin said.

She said this is crucial to curb companies that cause air pollution in other countries. 

In a Facebook post today, Yeo said the ministry will be calling on AGC to draft a bill that can be enforced against polluters and those contributing to transboundary smoke.

“As Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said, MESTECC is prepared to table laws against Malaysian companies that conduct open burning or that contribute to the air pollution,” she wrote.

Dr Mahathir yesterday briefly mentioned the possibility of a law against such offenders. He said Putrajaya would first ask the companies to put out the fires and “if we find they are unwilling, we may have to pass a law”.

Unlike Singapore that has a transboundary smoke pollution law, Malaysia does not have a legal framework to punish its companies causing air pollution overseas. 

Four Malaysian companies were named by Indonesian authorities last week as having land on their subsidiaries’ estates sealed for open-burning investigations.

Indonesia named Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) subsidiary, IOI Corp Bhd, Sime Darby Plantation and TDM Bhd as the companies.

Sime Darby and IOI Corp have denied the allegation, while KLK and TDM admitted to causing fire on their subsidiaries’ estates.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Association, of which these companies are members, has said that all member plantations have a strict zero-burning policy, and that hotspots on their land were from fires started by smallholders.

Yeo added that the transboundary haze law has to be addressed through regional cooperation and that she would be holding a teleconference with the Asean secretary-general in Jakarta to propose applicable laws for all Asean countries.

Malaysia continues to be shrouded in smoke from forest fires, with only marginal improvements in a few areas.

Sarawak is still experiencing very unhealthy air pollutant index (API) readings of more than 200 in six districts as of 4pm today, according to hourly results posted by the Department of Environment.

These areas are Sibu (247), Sarikei (238), Sri Aman (210), Samarahan (220), Mukah (208) and Kuching (266).

In Kuala Lumpur as of 4pm, the API reading at Batu Muda is 150, Cheras 149, Putrajaya 143 and in Selangor, Petaling Jaya stands at 158 and Shah Alam 148.

In Penang, Balik Pulau’s air quality reading is 150, Nilai in Negri Sembilan is at 158 while Malacca town is at 131.

In Kedah, Sg Petani’s reading is 110, Larkin in Johor is at 136 and Kuala Terangganu at 130.

An API reading of 0-50 is good; 51-100, moderate; 101-200, unhealthy; 201-300, very unhealthy; and 300 and above, hazardous. – September 19, 2019.