KUALA LUMPUR: Former energy, science, technology and climate change minister, Yeo Bee Yin wants the government to consider introducing a Transboundary Haze Act (THA) in Malaysia.
The Puchong MP warned that the government could incur losses in excess of RM1 billion due to impacts on tourism and businesses, costs associated with firefighting and cloud seeding operations, flight cancellations, medical expenses, and damage to biodiversity.
She said that in 2020, the Pakatan Harapan cabinet had agreed in principle to introduce the law; however, progress stalled after the change of government, known as the "Sheraton move".
"Currently, there are no specific Malaysian laws governing this. Singapore, on the other hand, passed such a law in 2014.
"This act will enable the government to take action against Malaysian individuals or companies that cause haze in Malaysia, regardless of where the burning occurred.
"I asked the positions of both the Perikatan Nasional government and the current unity government in the parliament regarding the tabling of THA, both gave a negative answer," she said in a statement today.
Yeo said THA could also incorporate preventative clauses, including enforcing Malaysian companies abroad to provide satellite data for all their facilities, such as plantations, as a measure of accountability and to require companies to declare any new land acquisitions in high-risk areas and declare how the land was cleared before purchase.
Yesterday, Malaysia sent a letter to Indonesia in efforts to resolve the transboundary haze issue that has affected the nation.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said a letter has been sent to Indonesia's Environment and Forestry minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar as a follow-up action on the haze issue.