JAKARTA: Malaysia has officially offered assistance to Indonesia in tackling forest fires, including a Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft previously deployed to help its neighbour combat similar fires.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was conveyed to Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during a meeting held in conjunction with his four-day working visit to the country, which began on Thursday (Sept 17).
Ahmad Zahid, who is also National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the assistance would also include three helicopters and 52 officers and personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
"The matter will be referred to President Prabowo Subianto for the Indonesian government’s approval,” he told a press conference after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and Indonesia’s Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions here on Thursday.
The visit, which runs until Sept 20, is at the invitation of Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) in conjunction with the 5th Halal 20 (H20) Summit.
Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony on Friday (Sept 18) and participate as a panellist in a session on regional halal cooperation.
The MMEA's Bombardier CL-415MP, which is capable of carrying out aerial firefighting operations, was previously deployed to South Sumatra in 2015, where it dropped 546,000 litres of water during a five-day mission.
Ahmad Zahid said the aircraft would draw water from lakes, seas or rivers before dropping it over fire-affected areas, while the three helicopters offered would also be deployed for the same purpose.
"Malaysia is deeply concerned about this problem, which occurs every year, whether due to open burning in Kalimantan or Sumatra, with the resulting haze reaching Malaysia.
"We want to help Indonesia address the problem together," he said.
He said the assistance was not intended to interfere in Indonesia's affairs, but rather to help address transboundary haze, which also affects neighbouring countries.
"What is important to us is to resolve this problem before it happens every year. This means having a mitigation plan or a strategy to prevent it from happening. The mitigation plan is in the interests of both Malaysia and Indonesia," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia and Indonesia also maintained close cooperation in disaster management through meetings and joint exercises, including at the Asean level.- Bernama
