Malaysia, Brunei to raise cross-border haze issue at ASEAN - Asia & Pacific - The Jakarta Post

Asia & Pacific

The Malaysian prime minister and the Brunei sultan aim to use “the ASEAN mechanism” in a bid to find a solution for the recurring problem of transboundary haze from Indonesian wildfires.

A group of women crosses in front of Perdana Putra, the office of the prime minister in Malaysia’s administrative capital Putrajaya, shrouded in haze from regional wildfires on Aug. 13, 2026. (Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain)

Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to raise the issue of transboundary haze pollution at the ASEAN level as thick smoke from forest and peatland fires in Indonesia drifts across the border to affect its neighbors.The agreement was reached over the weekend during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s working visit in Bandar Seri Begawan for an annual consultation with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, where the two leaders discussed possible measures to address the recurring problem.

“We both agreed to use the ASEAN mechanism as the best option. We have asked [Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan] to manage this issue,” Anwar told a press conference after the meeting.