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
Dense haze from Indonesia spurred by forest fires has resulted in the worst pollution in southern Thailand in over a decade, said Thai authorities on October 22.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Education said on October 22 that all schools in the country that had been closed since October 19 would reopen on October 23, with the exception of schools in four states.
Haze pollution caused by forest fires in Indonesia has spread to the southern Philippines, obstructing traffic and forcing local residents to wear masks, according to Filipino authorities.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
MI-17 helicopter fights forest fires in Ogan Komering Ilir, Sumatra on October 17. (Source: AFP/VNA)
