Kuala lumpur: ASEAN leaders have been urged to conduct an urgent high-level review of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and adopt a stronger, time-bound and enforceable regional action plan to prevent the haze situation from worsening.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stated that the recurring transboundary haze crisis could no longer be treated as a seasonal inconvenience, emphasizing the need for ASEAN to shift from a reactive approach to a preventive one, and to bolster regional preparedness. The agreement, which was signed in Kuala Lumpur on June 10, 2002, and came into force in 2003, has been in place for over two decades, yet the region continues to face challenges with recurring fires, cross-border smoke, and declining air quality.
Lee stressed that haze should not be considered an annual ASEAN ritual, as it poses governance, environmental, public health, and regional responsibility challenges. He urged ASEAN to move beyond promises, demonstrating that regional cooperation can protect the people of Southeast Asia. He highlighted warnings from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre about strengthening El Ni±o conditions, below-normal rainfall, and prevailing winds that could increase the risk of hotspots and transboundary haze in the southern ASEAN region.
However, Lee pointed out that El Ni±o should not be the sole explanation for the problem, as it is a natural climate phenomenon, and human-caused forest and land fires continue to exacerbate dry conditions into a regional crisis. He proposed urgent measures including strengthening and reviewing the regional haze agreement, setting clear targets to prevent fires, reduce hotspots, and eliminate recurring sources of transboundary pollution.
Lee also called for increased accountability for those responsible for open burning and illegal land clearing, along with mechanisms for investigation, evidence-sharing, and enforcement when fires cause cross-border damage. He suggested establishing a permanent regional haze response mechanism with real-time satellite monitoring, rapid sharing of hotspot information, joint firefighting capabilities, and clearly defined responsibilities during serious haze episodes.
Furthermore, Lee recommended that ASEAN countries develop joint prevention and early-warning systems ahead of the dry season, enhance cooperation on peatland and forest management, and improve transparency in sharing information on hotspots, fire sources, and enforcement action. He urged Malaysia and other affected countries to address the issue firmly at the highest level of ASEAN, emphasizing that tackling the problem is not about blaming or interfering in any country's affairs but about ensuring the health and well-being of all.