Indonesia accuses 8 Malaysian companies of involvement in forest fires

Indonesia's environment minister said the country is investigating and will file a lawsuit if there is sufficient evidence.

The Indonesian government has announced that eight Malaysian companies are involved in forest fires in Sumatra.

Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur is shrouded in smoke (Photo: Reutes)

Speaking on June 23, Indonesian Environment Minister Balthazar Kambuaya said that the country is investigating and will take legal action if there is sufficient evidence. Mr. Kambuaya said that he will forward the results of the investigation to the Malaysian Environment Minister at a meeting in Jakarta next Tuesday.

The Indonesian government has dispatched military planes and helicopters to drop water bombs and create rain to extinguish the fires.

Fires on Sumatra island have sent smog into Singapore, causing a diplomatic rift.

Pollution levels in Indonesia's Sumatra and Singapore have hit new records. Schools in Riau on Sumatra, where fires broke out, have been closed and respiratory infections are on the rise.

Related news, on the same day, the Malaysian government declared a state of emergency in the two southern regions of Muar and Ledang, due to smog from forest fires in Indonesia causing serious air pollution in these two regions.

Malaysian Environment Minister Palanivel said the haze is an annual problem in the region during the hot, dry summer months, when smoke from forest fires and fires caused by people burning trees to clear land on Indonesia's Sumatra island spreads across the Strait of Malacca into Malaysia and Singapore./.

According to VOV - DT