KUALA LUMPUR – As the 2025 Asean chair, Malaysia is set to spearhead major environmental initiatives, including addressing the issue of transboundary haze and plastic waste dumping – two pressing challenges impacting the region’s ecosystems and public health.
The nation is set to take an active role in enforcing the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), which has been in place since 2002. The country will lead high-level discussions among Asean member states, focusing on stricter prevention of open burning and enhanced monitoring mechanisms.
In a written parliamentary response issued yesterday, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad emphasised the urgent need for action, citing past haze episodes that have severely impacted Malaysians.
In November 2024, for example, unhealthy air pollutant index (API) readings in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Negri Sembilan were linked to forest fires in Indonesia, with hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan sending thick smoke across borders. Cheras was among the worst affected areas, with API readings reaching 155, a level deemed unhealthy.
“We will champion scientific diplomacy and advocate for a sustainable haze mitigation fund,” said the minister in the answer to Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Kubang Kerian-PN) who asked the NRES minister to state the ministry’s efforts during Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship in fostering cooperation among countries on cross-border sustainability, particularly in addressing transboundary haze and plastic waste disposal.
Citing successful international agreements like the Montreal Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the government aims to balance scientific data, factual analysis, and negotiations to drive impactful decision-making among Asean nations.
Technical cooperation will also be strengthened through joint research on wildfire prevention and the sharing of firefighting expertise, particularly in high-risk areas such as forests and peatlands.
“With sustained investment in research, technology, and innovation, we can improve infrastructure, prevention strategies, and fire suppression techniques,” the minister added.
The government will also push for full operational support for the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACC THPC), based in Indonesia, to enhance cross-border fire and haze management.
According to reports, the 10 Asean member countries have suffered economic losses amounting to hundreds of billions of US dollars over the past 25 years due to large-scale fires, which have also led to significant biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions.
The urgency of this initiative is further underscored by the 2023 El Niño-driven dry season, which saw Indonesia struggle to contain fires that burned over 267,900 hectares of forests.
Despite Malaysia’s claims of transboundary haze pollution affecting its air quality, Indonesia’s environment ministry denied that haze from Sumatra and Kalimantan had reached its neighbour.
Tackling ‘waste colonisation’
On plastic waste, NRES is taking a firm stance against what it calls “waste colonisation,” where Asean nations are used as dumping grounds for plastic waste under the guise of recycling.
“Developed countries are exploiting Malaysia and other Asean nations as global landfills, violating environmental justice,” the minister said in the written reply.
Malaysia aims to push for Asean-wide adoption of stringent restrictions on waste exports, similar to the European Union’s policies on banning the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries.
Beyond restricting imports, Malaysia will also push for stronger regional policies to enforce sustainable waste management and environmental protections. The country is advocating for investment in advanced waste-processing technologies, as well as the adoption of circular economy models where agricultural waste and plastic refuse are repurposed into new materials rather than dumped or incinerated.
The government is calling for a “whole of society” approach, urging private sector involvement, regional cooperation, and stronger enforcement mechanisms to address these pressing environmental challenges. – February 27, 2025