Groups take haze report findings to Parliament, renew push for corporate accountability

About 40 people from civil society groups marched to Parliament today, urging the government to expedite a transboundary haze law, six years after a stalled attempt to have the Dewan Rakyat debate a similar proposal. 

The groups led by Greenpeace Malaysia and student group Himpunan Advokasi Rakyat Malaysia (Haram) called for legislation empowering Malaysian authorities to investigate and hold companies accountable for environmental harm abroad, following fresh report findings on fires in Indonesian concession areas linked to Malaysian and Singaporean business groups.

A report by Greenpeace Indonesia, Greenpeace Malaysia and Pantau Gambut identified 6,811 haze-source points between Aug 8 and Oct 1, including 970 within forestry concessions and 980 within oil palm concessions.

The presence of haze-source points within a concession does not, on its own, establish who started the fires.

The report also found 2,719 haze-source points in areas that had previously burned between 2015 and 2023, which the authors said raised questions about fire prevention, land management and enforcement.

Accountability must be cross-border too

Greenpeace Malaysia campaign manager Heng Kiah Chun said in a joint statement that a transboundary haze law cannot remain on the drawing board while communities continue to bear the health consequences of haze year after year.

“The Malaysian government announced it is considering legislation. Now, we need to see that consideration translated into swift and urgent action that is concrete and time-bound.

“Malaysia must have the legal power to investigate and hold companies accountable where credible evidence links them to environmental harm beyond our borders. The haze crosses borders; accountability must be able to do the same,” he said.

According to the groups, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry has confirmed it is examining mechanisms for specific transboundary haze legislation, including Singapore’s approach.

The groups said a special committee comprising relevant ministries and agencies had also been established to study measures to strengthen Malaysia’s response.

Earlier proposal scrapped

The renewed push revisits a proposal pursued by the Pakatan Harapan administration in 2019 to introduce legislation targeting Malaysian companies operating abroad that contribute to haze.

At the time, the move followed Indonesia’s naming of subsidiaries of several Malaysian plantation groups in connection with fires allegedly contributing to the pollution.

However, the Perikatan Nasional administration abandoned the proposal in 2020, opting instead for cooperation with other Asean countries.

Then environment and water minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (above) told the Dewan Rakyat that the cabinet had decided on July 24 that year not to proceed with the law, after considering Singapore’s experience and legal feedback, including from the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

He argued that Malaysia would face difficulties obtaining evidence from the countries where fires occurred and said Putrajaya did not want a “cosmetic” solution.

His predecessor, Yeo Bee Yin, had challenged the decision, arguing that Malaysia should address weaknesses in Singapore’s approach rather than abandon its own legislation.

‘Right to clean air’

Haram chairperson Brendon Gan urged lawmakers to press the government to accelerate the legislation.

“We call for action to be taken against, and for accountability from, companies or corporate entities proven to be involved in burning activities that cause pollution and transboundary haze.

“We are here at Parliament today because we want the MPs, who hold a mandate from the people, to exercise their authority to urge the government to take firmer action and expedite the enactment of specific legislation to address transboundary haze,” he said.

“Haze is no longer merely a seasonal issue that we can simply wait out. It concerns the people's right to clean air, public health, and the accountability of those responsible for the pollution,” he stressed.

The demonstration followed a memorandum reportedly submitted by Haram and Greenpeace Malaysia to the Indonesian embassy more than a month ago, seeking disclosure of fire locations, concession ownership, investigation findings and companies potentially linked to the fires.

The groups also cited Suhakam’s call for the government to expedite a Clean Air Act, strengthen access to environmental justice and enhance cooperation under the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

They stressed that domestic legislation must be complemented by regional and bilateral cooperation to obtain information and evidence from countries where fires originate.

Apart from Greenpeace Malaysia and Haram, representatives from Zero Waste Malaysia and Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam also joined the march from Tugu Negara to Parliament this morning.

Eight MPs, including Dr Kelvin Lii (Bandar Kuching), Young Syefura Othman (Bentong), Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka), Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera), R Yuneswaran (Segamat), Tan Hong Pin (Bakri), Tan Kar Hing (Gopeng) and Hassan Abdul Karim (Pasir Gudang), were present outside Parliament to receive the groups’ demands.

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