WORLD Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF Malaysia) wants more local companies to produce sustainable goods to end the smoke that keeps blighting the country.

“We applaud companies who are taking extra steps to work with others in their value chain to create and support models for sustainable production and best practices, including fire prevention and mitigation procedures, as well as models that are inclusive of farmers and smallholders,” WWF Malaysia conservation director Dr Henry Chan said in a statement today.

“We also strongly believe that companies should take on the responsibility of communicating their sustainability initiatives to consumers in order to educate them on the importance of sustainable production and consumption.”

He said more companies should champion sustainability rather than shy away from it, with companies that are lagging behind pressured to adopt environmentally-friendly practices by governments, financial institutions and consumers.

Chan said consumers should use their purchasing power and demand more sustainable products.

“One of the ways that this can be done is by buying products such as those with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) labels,” he said.

Last week, Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin, said there needs to be stronger cooperation between Asean neighbours for a long-term solution to the smoke.

WWF Malaysia said governments should continue upholding, implementing and, if necessary improving, the decisions made by the ministers of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia at the 18th meeting of the Asean sub-regional ministerial steering committee on transboundary smoke pollution in May 2016. – Bernama, September 24, 2019.