SHAH ALAM – Muar Member of Parliament (MP) Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has urged Indonesia to take evidence-based action against companies responsible for forest fires, saying the transboundary haze issue should not become a dispute between countries.
His remarks came after former Indonesian Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi criticised calls for Asean to “boycott” Indonesia over the haze, arguing that the country should not be targeted as a whole before those responsible for the fires were identified.
Saddiq said companies from Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore should face action under Indonesian law if evidence showed they had deliberately burned forests for profit.
“This is not Malaysia against Indonesia. Our flags are different, but when we struggle to breathe, the suffering is the same. So, when you (Lutfi) say Malaysian companies are at fault and Singaporean companies are at fault, if there is evidence, please punish them!
“I will not protect polluters, even if they are from my own country,” he said in a video posted on Instagram yesterday.
The former Youth and Sports Minister outlined three points in response to Lutfi's criticism, saying the issue should be assessed based on facts and data rather than assumptions or selective interpretations.
First, he called on Indonesia to take prompt action against companies proven to have started forest fires for short-term financial gain. He also urged Lutfi to watch his full parliamentary speech rather than rely on edited excerpts.
“In Parliament, I myself called for action against Malaysian companies involved, if any. Watch my full speech. Do not edit it until the truth is lost.
“Take action against the perpetrators, not based on their flags. Whether they are Malaysian, Indonesian or Singaporean companies, if they are proven to have burned forests for quick profits, take action against them.
“A flag is not a licence to destroy the environment. They operate in Indonesia and are subject to Indonesian law. The power lies in your hands!” he said.
Second, Saddiq argued that the size of a plantation alone did not establish responsibility for forest fires, citing SD Guthrie as an example.
“You spoke about SD Guthrie. Yes, it is a large company, but to this day, there is no evidence that it started the fires.
“SD Guthrie has more than 67 firefighting teams with 1,005 trained personnel, as well as drone and infrared technology, spending more than RM800,000 a month to address this issue,” he said.
Third, he cautioned against relying on isolated findings from reports, including those published by Greenpeace, without considering the wider context.
Saddiq cited a report that recorded 19 fire hotspots within the concessions of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK), compared with 6,811 others elsewhere.
“You want us to focus only on the contributor responsible for 0.3 per cent while ignoring the other 99.7 per cent.
“Do not single out one name and remain silent about the others. This is not Malaysia against Indonesia. This is about people who want clean air versus those who pollute it.
“When forests are burned for profit, Malaysian children struggle to breathe, and Indonesian children do too. The profits go into company accounts, while the smoke goes into people's lungs,” he said.
Previously, Lutfi criticised Saddiq's call during a Dewan Rakyat debate for Asean to “boycott” Indonesia over the haze, saying those responsible for forest and land fires should first be identified before appropriate action was taken.