Malaysia urged to police its firms in Indonesia as haze shuts schools

Malaysia is facing renewed pressure to clamp down on its companies over their alleged links to forest fires abroad, as recurring haze from Indonesia continues to disrupt schools and daily life despite years of regional efforts to tackle the problem.

On Thursday, Malaysia ordered schools to close across several states, including Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district in Pahang, while sporting events scheduled for the weekend were cancelled.

The latest closures follow findings by environmental watchdogs Greenpeace and Pantau Gambut alleging links between Malaysian and Singaporean corporate interests and fire hotspots in Indonesia’s Kalimantan. The findings have intensified calls for Putrajaya to take action on companies linked to fires abroad, rather than rely on regional cooperation that has yet to prevent recurring haze crises.

On Wednesday, Greenpeace Malaysia and civil society groups marched to parliament, demanding stronger legislation to investigate companies linked to fires that have contributed to the ongoing haze crisis.