Putrajaya:Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has agreed to implement necessary measures to address the haze affecting Malaysia, as stated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar discussed the haze issue directly with President Prabowo during a telephone conversation. Anwar emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting Malaysia's willingness to cooperate with Jakarta to tackle the haze, which has raised health concerns.

Various measures have been undertaken by Malaysia to mitigate the impact, including increased cloud seeding and rainfall operations by the Royal Malaysian Air Force and other agencies. Despite these efforts, the situation remains alarming, prompting Anwar to instruct Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup to engage with their Indonesian counterparts to strengthen collaborative efforts.

Anwar also directed Mohamad to liaise with the ASEAN Secretariat to coordinate a meeting of environment ministers. As of 9 am today, 38 locations in Malaysia recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with Segamat, Johor, experiencing the highest level at 187.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has identified 238 hotspots in Kalimantan and Sumatra, Indonesia, as well as four in Sabah and Sarawak, as the primary sources of the haze. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) reported moderate to dense transboundary haze over southern and central Sumatra, Singapore, and the southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia.