ASEAN Countries to Discuss Haze Caused by Indonesian Forest Fires
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — ASEAN countries will discuss measures to address transboundary haze affecting parts of the region at a foreign ministers’ meeting in November 2026, ahead of the ASEAN Summit. The Philippines, as ASEAN chair, said the issue was on the agenda.
“It is on the agenda,” Philippine Foreign Ministry spokesman Dominic Xavier Imperial said on Tuesday, referring to next month’s preparatory meeting of foreign ministers, Reuters reported on Tuesday (13 October 2026).
Haze affecting several Southeast Asian countries in recent weeks has been caused by forest and land fires that have been burning in Indonesia for months. Singapore and Malaysia have been affected, with Malaysia closing schools in several states last week after air quality reached unhealthy levels.
The fires, mainly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, have been described as Indonesia’s worst in 11 years. The situation has once again highlighted the impact of land fires on neighbouring countries and the need for regional coordination.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said on Monday that his country would raise the haze issue at the ASEAN forum. He said ASEAN’s existing mechanism for responding to natural disasters did not cover transboundary haze.
Malaysia has also offered Indonesia assistance with extinguishing the fires. However, efforts in some areas have been hampered by poor visibility, difficult access to fire sites and conditions that are not yet suitable for weather modification or cloud seeding, Mohamad said, recounting his discussions with his Indonesian counterpart.
Malaysia’s Firefly extends flight cancellations
Meanwhile, Malaysian budget airline Firefly has extended the cancellation of its Kuala Lumpur–Singapore flights until Wednesday because of transboundary haze from forest and land fires in Indonesia. The decision was taken as a safety measure amid worsening air quality in the region.
In a statement on Monday evening, Firefly described the extension of the suspension as a “proactive safety measure”. The airline said it was continuing to monitor weather conditions and would provide affected customers with updates on flight schedules.
According to AFP, flights from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, near Kuala Lumpur, to Seletar Airport in Singapore have been suspended since Saturday. The disruption comes as fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra spread haze, exacerbated by a strong El Niño phenomenon.