COMMENT | Hold oil palm companies accountable for haze

COMMENT | In recent days, we’ve witnessed compelling evidence provided by the Asean Meteorological Center (ASMC) pinpointing hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, along with detailed wind direction and speed data, all of which unequivocally points to the source of the haze that is blanketing the skies in Kuala Lumpur.

However, Indonesia has contested ASMC’s claims, presenting its imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) regarding hotspot activity.

This contentious issue has persisted for decades, particularly gaining prominence since Indonesia’s ratification of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) in 2015.

Initially established in 2002, the AATHP was designed as a multilateral Asean platform to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution, mainly from land and forest fires within the region.

Sadly, despite its noble intentions, this agreement has failed to yield significant success in providing effective solutions for preventing haze in the Asean region.

Amid the...