PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya has emphasised diplomacy in efforts to tackle transboundary haze issues within Asean members, referencing recent moves by Singapore which are said to have affected the city-state’s ties with Indonesia.

Without referring to any specific actions by Singapore, Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh affirmed Malaysia’s diplomacy-first approach in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Recently, the island nation warned major Singapore-based agribusiness firms under investigation for their links to haze-causing fires.

The meeting came amid concerns over unhealthy air quality due to intense haze from fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Borneo, with its neighbouring nations impacted by school closures and event cancellations, among others.