BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Malaysia will use Asean diplomatic channels to seek a solution to the transboundary haze affecting parts of the region, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic).
The Foreign Minister said Asean remained the most appropriate platform for addressing issues involving member states.
He added that Malaysia, through the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, would submit an official letter to the Asean Secretariat in due course.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup would also write to his Indonesian counterpart.
“We believe Asean is the best mechanism for addressing issues among member states, and that the Secretariat is best placed to manage this matter,” he told reporters here yesterday, according to Bernama.
Mohamad is currently on a three-day working visit to Brunei, which began on Thursday.
The visit is being held in conjunction with the 27th Malaysia-Brunei Exchange of Letters (EOL-27) meeting on Aug 21 and the 27th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation (ALC-27) on Aug 22.
On Thursday, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Datuk Mohd Aini Atan said the haze affecting several areas in the region was expected to be among the issues discussed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, during the Malaysia-Brunei ALC-27.
He said the issue was currently a mutual concern for both countries.
According to data from the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System (Apims) portal, as of 4pm today, the Serian District Police Headquarters in Sarawak continued to record an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 217, which falls under the “very unhealthy” category.
Nine other areas in Sarawak recorded “unhealthy” API readings: Sri Aman (186), Sarikei (173), Kuching (171), Samarahan (170), Sibu and Samalaju (156), Bintulu (153), Mukah (125) and Kapit (108).
