Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (Photo: VNA) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The current international system is such that nothing could be done to compel Indonesia to deal with its forest fires, which is affecting the region, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said.
Speaking at a dialogue in the framework of the World Leaders Forum at the US’s Colombia University on September 25, the Malaysian PM stressed that despite criticism, forest fires still continue in Indonesia.
Mahathir noted that there will come a time when forest fires would become so severe that the whole world would be enveloped by haze.
At that time, the United Nations may not call it a national problem, but a global problem and that the world should exercise the right to take action.
Earlier, Malaysian media reported that Malaysia and Singapore offer to send water-bombing airplanes to Indonesia to put out the fires, but the offer was not taken up.
Forest fires in Indonesia have caused haze in Malaysia and Singapore over the recent weeks. Hundreds of schools in Malaysia were forced to close, while a growing number of Malaysians were suffering health problems due to the smog.
Wildfires occur in Indonesia every dry season due to traditional burning practices in agriculture to clear land for palm oil and pulp plantations./.
Speaking at a dialogue in the framework of the World Leaders Forum at the US’s Colombia University on September 25, the Malaysian PM stressed that despite criticism, forest fires still continue in Indonesia.
Mahathir noted that there will come a time when forest fires would become so severe that the whole world would be enveloped by haze.
At that time, the United Nations may not call it a national problem, but a global problem and that the world should exercise the right to take action.
Earlier, Malaysian media reported that Malaysia and Singapore offer to send water-bombing airplanes to Indonesia to put out the fires, but the offer was not taken up.
Forest fires in Indonesia have caused haze in Malaysia and Singapore over the recent weeks. Hundreds of schools in Malaysia were forced to close, while a growing number of Malaysians were suffering health problems due to the smog.
Wildfires occur in Indonesia every dry season due to traditional burning practices in agriculture to clear land for palm oil and pulp plantations./.
VNA
