MI-17 helicopter fights forest fires in Ogan Komering Ilir, Sumatra on October 17. (Source: AFP/VNA) Malaysia will continue holding dialogues with Indonesia on necessary assistance to help tackle forest fires and haze pollution in the region.
Malaysian Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said on October 26 that around 1.7 million hectares of forest and wild land in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, is hard to be extinguished when on fire because of the scarcity of rain in the region.
He said he would travel to Indonesia to discuss with his Indonesian counterpart on necessary support.
Bernama, Malaysia’s national news agency, said Minister Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar began his visit to Indonesia on October 27 to discuss with Indonesian Minister of Forest and Environment Siti Nurbaya Bakar on a Memorandum of Understanding on resolving cross-border haze pollution, which has not been on hold due to the worsening haze situation in recent years.
In a related development, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency has sent a Bombardier CL 415 airplane and an AS 365 N3 Dauphin helicopter to join the fire-extinguishing efforts in South Sumatra.
As of October 20, millions of litres of water have been poured down on areas affected by forest fires.
Minister Wan Junaidi said the Indonesian side welcomed positive results in the first fire-fighting campaign conducted by Malaysia in Sumatra.-VNA
