Full Breakdown
Indonesia-Malaysia Joint Response to the 2026 Transboundary Haze Crisis
8/24/2026, 9:01:10 PM
The Cross-Border Cloud-Seeding Agreement
On August 24, Indonesia granted Malaysian agencies clearance to enter its airspace for cloud-seeding operations to suppress haze over Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. The permission was announced by Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, who said the operation would be coordinated with the Indonesian military and carried out from shared border locations. The move follows a surge in forest and peat-land fires that have driven unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings across both nations.
Background and Context
Forest and peat-land fires are a recurring problem in Indonesia, often ignited to clear land for plantations. An intensifying El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season have amplified the fires this year. The Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported more than 3,700 hot spots on Borneo and 1,700 on Sumatra on the same day the cloud-seeding permission was granted. President Prabowo Subianto visited Central Kalimantan on August 22, where over 7,600 hectares had burned, and pledged additional helicopters, water pumps, and troops.
Data and Statistics
- Hot spots: > 3,700 (Kalimantan) + > 1,700 (Sumatra).
- Burned area: > 7,600 ha in Central Kalimantan; > 200,000 ha nationwide Jan-Jul.
- Aerial assets: 30 helicopters for water-bombing in Kalimantan, 22 over Sumatra; 1,500 additional Indonesian armed-forces personnel deployed.
- Air quality: API reached “very unhealthy” (239) in Serian, Sarawak; eight other Sarawak districts recorded unhealthy levels; 11 areas in Sarawak and Melaka recorded unhealthy readings on August 22 (highest 190 in Serian).
- Education impact: Nearly 600 schools in Sarawak closed, affecting about 200,000 students.
Official Statements & Responses
- Arthur Joseph Kurup emphasized ASEAN solidarity, stating Malaysia is ready to assist Indonesia in fire suppression and will monitor hotspot activity through NADMA and MetMalaysia. He noted upcoming escalations of firefighting programmes ahead of the September 16 Malaysia-Day celebrations.
- President Prabowo Subianto pledged resources, including helicopters and water pumps, and vowed accountability for companies implicated in illegal burning.
- Mohammad Irhamni, director of special crimes at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, announced the arrest of 72 suspects linked to 89 fire cases across Borneo and Sumatra, stressing that investigations will trace financial backers.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We will not stop at the perpetrators on the ground,” — Irhami
- “I hope we can control this soon,” — President Prabowo
On-the-Ground Reports
Local authorities in Sarawak reported visibility reduced to 10 meters in some areas, prompting mask mandates and reduced outdoor activities. Residents in affected Kalimantan provinces described “thick, choking smoke” that hampered daily life and agricultural work.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While most sources agree on the scale of hot spots and API readings, the exact number of companies under investigation varies: some reports cite “four companies” in West Kalimantan, others reference “several” without a precise count. No source provides a definitive list.
What’s Next
- September 16: Malaysia-Day celebrations in Kuching, Sarawak, will be accompanied by intensified firefighting and prevention measures.
- August 31: The 69th Merdeka celebration at Dataran Putrajaya, coinciding with continued cloud-seeding schedules.
- Ongoing coordination through the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) aims to sustain hotspot surveillance, enforce open-burning bans, and improve regional preparedness as El Niño strengthens.
