Natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the agreement, signed in 2002 by Asean to reduce haze pollution in Southeast Asia, needed to address ways to take action against polluters.

“When the haze originates from a neighbouring country, how can we take action? That might be one of the things that we have to look at,” Bernama reported Nik Nazmi as saying.

Saying that Malaysia had proposed bilateral cooperation to Indonesia, Nik Nazmi also said that the much-discussed Transboundary Haze Bill had to be looked at in-depth, as the matter is not straightforward.

“I understand the public concern, but drawing up an act that involves jurisdiction outside the country is quite challenging. That’s the view of the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“Singapore has such a legislation, but they also find it challenging to take action,” he said.