Transboundary haze: Jakarta mulls Malaysia's offer to help

KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia is carefully assessing Malaysia's offer of firefighting assistance, with thick smoke limiting visibility and complicating plans for aerial operations, the Indonesian embassy here said.

The embassy said the Indonesian government was coordinating internally, with the National Disaster Management Agency leading efforts to determine what form of aid would be needed most.

"Indonesia welcomes and deeply appreciates Malaysia's kind offer of assistance in addressing the current forest and land fires in Indonesia.

"The offer is being given serious consideration. This takes careful assessment because conditions in the field are complex.

"Thick smoke over some fire areas limits visibility, which affects how far aerial operations can be optimised on any given day," it said in a written response to the New Straits Times.

On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia was awaiting Indonesia's response to its offer of assistance to put out forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, which have contributed to the transboundary haze crisis.

He said the offer was conveyed directly to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during his recent visit to Jakarta.

The embassy said both countries wanted to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, while ensuring any assistance could be deployed effectively and that personnel's safety in the air and on the ground was protected.

"We remain in close communication with the Malaysian authorities on this matter," it said.

On Indonesia's efforts to contain the fires, the embassy said President Prabowo had chaired a limited cabinet meeting to accelerate the response, instructing authorities to optimise available resources and strengthen coordination among ministries, regional governments, the armed forces, police and local communities.

It said fires were burning on peatland, where flames could persist beneath the surface and reignite even after visible fires had been extinguished.