Asia & Pacific
The Indonesian government faces pressure from within and outside the country, including in the form of a protest in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as haze blankets major cities in neighboring countries.
Activists gather on Sept. 4 in front of the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur to submit an official memorandum calling for transparency and corporate accountability across borders. Air quality in Malaysia deteriorated further from Sept. 1, as smoke from Indonesian forest fires drove up respiratory complaints and sent residents scrambling for protective masks. (AFP/Arif Kartono)
The government has pledged to work with neighboring countries throughout ASEAN to address widespread fires, as pressure grows for Jakarta to ramp up efforts to contain the blazes and transboundary haze.Jakarta has maintained regular communication and coordination on fire management with ASEAN countries through a cooperation framework under the bloc’s Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela.
The ASEAN Secretariat declared a level-3 haze alert in the region on Aug. 26, the highest level indicating extreme fires, unhealthy air and risks to human health and environment. The alert requires all member states to report daily situations to the Secretariat.
