Indonesia’s haze, which consist of forest and land fires, have caused polluted air to spread across parts of Southeast Asia, with Malaysia among the countries most affected.
Singapore and Brunei have also been monitoring the regional haze, while smoke from Indonesia’s Kalimantan region has even reached parts of the Philippines.
While the haze has been monitored and signalled as a potential regional hazard for the last month, the situation has recently worsened due to the current dry season.
Dry conditions have made fires more difficult to control, particularly in areas with peatlands.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre had raised the regional haze alert to Level 3 on 26 August after detecting an increase in smoke hotspots in Kalimantan.
National Responses to the Haze
Malaysia has faced some of the most serious effects of the worsening haze. On 4 September, the Eastern Malaysian state of Sarawak declared an emergency in the Serian district after the Air Pollutant Index reached hazardous levels. Schools in affected areas were closed as authorities responded to the deteriorating air quality.
Indonesia has increased its efforts to control the fires. Authorities have carried out water-bombing operations and cloud seeding, while investigations have also been launched into companies whose concession areas were affected by fires.
In a display of bilateral partnership, both the Indonesian and Malaysian governments have also begun to coordinate their responses to the haze. Indonesia agreed to allow Malaysian agencies to enter its airspace for cloud-seeding operations aimed at helping manage the haze situation. Malaysia has also offered assistance to Indonesia in dealing with the fires.
Singapore has also taken precautionary measures for worsening air quality. On 4 September, its 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index entered the unhealthy range for the first time since October 2023.
The Singapore government subsequently activated measures under its Haze Task Force and began issuing daily haze advisories.
As for the Philippines, the haze has been the result of smoke from fires being transported towards parts of the country by the southwest monsoon.
Authorities issued health advice, particularly in areas where air quality deteriorated. Cebu and parts of the Visayas were among the areas reporting poor air quality, while Metro Manila experienced less severe conditions.
A Regional Dialogue to Stop the Haze
The regional situation highlights the importance of cooperation under the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. The agreement, providing a framework for countries to share information, monitor fires and coordinate assistance during haze emergencies.
However, the decades-long continued problem of transboundary haze raises an important question: is the current regional framework enough?
The ASEAN Agreement provides a basis for cooperation, but more than two decades of haze incidents suggest that coordination during a crisis may not be enough.
ASEAN could strengthen the framework by introducing clearer accountability and consequences when haze repeatedly crosses borders and affects neighbouring countries. This is not about placing blame on one country, but about making sure regional commitments lead to stronger action when the problem occurs again.
For Indonesia, controlling the fires remains the immediate priority.
For neighbouring countries, early information and coordinated action can help reduce the impact when smoke crosses borders.
Beyond national borders, all parties in the region must come together to prevent the haze from spreading even further.
