KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has offered a Bombardier firefighting aircraft, three helicopters and 50 personnel to help Indonesia battle its forest and land fires, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the deployment will begin once there is clearance from Indonesia.
He said the offer reflected Malaysia’s commitment to helping its neighbour tackle the fires, which have affected other countries in the region.
Ahmad Zahid said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in touch with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on the issue.
“However small our assistance may be, it is a good gesture to help our neighbour,” he said after opening the Road Safety Congress 2026.
Ahmad Zahid said preparations for the northeast monsoon and flood risk are also ongoing with government agencies and non-governmental organisations.
“We hope the floods this time will not be severe.
“Through early warning systems, assistance rendered by the relevant agencies is to ensure flood victims are promptly evacuated,” he said.
Separately, the Deputy Prime Minister said with an average of 18 deaths in road accidents daily and losses amounting to RM30bil annually, efforts to address this needs to go beyond awareness campaigns and individual responsibility.
He said it is crucial that weaknesses in road infrastructure, enforcement and coordination among agencies are addressed as well.
“We have conducted countless road safety campaigns.
“Awareness alone is not enough. There is an urgent need for stronger measures to improve road safety,” Ahmad Zahid said.
Technology and research should be used to identify dangerous road stretches, improve road design and strengthen enforcement, he added.
Ahmad Zahid, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion, said the government has set a target under the Malaysia Road Safety Plan to reduce road fatalities by 50% by the end of the decade.
He said the Transport Ministry and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) have been asked to prepare a Cabinet paper proposing a coordinated national approach to expand proven motorcycle safety measures, with clear priorities, timelines and measurable outcomes.
Ahmad Zahid also proposed for an integrated national road safety intelligence platform to connect existing data systems and enable agencies to identify high-risk areas and coordinate interventions more effectively.
The Deputy Prime Minister called for stronger partnerships involving the government, employers, delivery service platforms, schools, industry and communities to make road safety part of everyday life.
“Employers and delivery service platforms must not place speed ahead of safety.
“Schools should play the role of instilling safe road traffic habits from a young age.
“Humans make mistakes. A responsible transport system must therefore be designed not only to discourage those mistakes but also to prevent them from becoming fatal,” he said.
