‘Haze knows no border’: Sarawak to keep suffering if problem remains unresolved at source

Awang Tengah representing Abang Johari at the Environmental Education Conference 2026 at Imperial Hotel Kuching on Oct 27, 2026.

By Christine T

KUCHING, Oct 27: Sarawak will continue bearing the impact of transboundary haze as long as the problem remains unresolved at its source, caretaker Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said, calling for stronger cross-border collaboration to address the recurring issue.

Referring to the haze experienced in recent months, he said Sarawak was affected when winds carried haze across international borders, making cooperation between neighbouring countries essential to tackling the problem.

“We must tackle it right from the source,” he said at the Environmental Education Conference 2026 here today, where he represented caretaker Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Awang Tengah said challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation do not recognise national boundaries and require countries to work together on shared strategies and solutions.

He stressed that cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and collective action were necessary to address environmental issues that affected communities across borders.

His remarks came as Sarawak continues to face the effects of transboundary haze, an issue that has drawn calls for stronger regional action and diplomatic engagement. — DayakDaily