Operation Haze

The cause of the haze is uncertain, which has led to speculation that suspended ash particulates from volcanic eruptions, suspended smoke particulates from large-scale forest fires, open agricultural burning in neighbouring countries, as well as local agricultural burning had caused the haze.

The Indonesian forest fires produced noxious yellow smoke clouds that smothered a vast region of South East Asia, reaching as far as northern Australia.

Millions of people were forced to wear masks and hundreds of death were reported in Indonesia, as a direct or indirect result of a severe decline in air quality.

However, during the period when the haze occurred, the air contained less amount of oxygen, which affected the combustion, causing it to not perform optimally.

Malaysian firefighters fought a desperate battle with the fires raging across Sumatra and Kalimantan over 25 days, and faced insurmountable obstacles.

Datuk Seri Mohamed bin Rahmat, who is the National Disaster Management and Relief Committee Chairman as well as the Minister of Information, on behalf of the Malaysian Government and H.E.