Malaysians to blame

last updated 8 January 2015

Sumatra, Indonesia

Forest fires in Indonesia that have blanketed nearby Malaysia with smoke were mostly set by Malaysian companies, the Indonesian government said this week. Companies that own plantations and mines often set fires during the summer as a cheap—if illegal—way to clear land. Each summer, the smoke floats across the Malacca Strait to Malaysia, causing respiratory and visibility problems and forcing the temporary closure of schools and businesses. Eight of the 10 companies being prosecuted for illegal fires this year are Malaysian-owned.