The President of ASM, Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail FASc launched the Local & Transboundary Haze Report on 8 October 2018 at Taman Tugu Negara, Kuala Lumpur.
Following the launch of the report, ASM Haze Task Force Chairman Professor Dato’ Ir Dr A Bakar Jaafar FASc provided a brief introduction to the report.
The Local and Transboundary Haze Study identifies and establishes a specific position for ASM in relation to the regional transboundary haze issue, addressing various stakeholders ranging from government ministries and agencies, policy makers, industry sectors, academics and the affected communities in Malaysia and the region.
The study analyses the root causes of the haze from three main aspects: Air Quality & Haze Episodes; Peat Area & Water Management; as well as Waste to Resources: Energy or Materials.
This report could serve as a tool for science diplomacy, where science can effectively contribute to having informed decision-making at all levels of government and stakeholders. The study concludes that the haze, a problem rooted in socio-economics, requires solutions rooted in socio-economics as well.
The report presented several recommendations, such as: