Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is also suffering from the haze blanketing the nation and will look into how Malaysia can help in efforts to douse the forest fires in Indonesia.

He was asked whether Malaysia planned to offer help in combating the forest fires in Indonesia.

"I'm more than willing because I'm suffering from the haze too, I'm asthmatic," quipped Hishammuddin during a press conference in Sungai Besi today.

The minister was responding to Singapore's offer to deploy its armed forces to support Indonesia's haze mitigating effort.

"It needs a regional effort. My relationship with (Singapore and Indonesia's defence ministers) Ng Eng Heng and Ryamizard Ryacudu is very close.

"Maybe that is the way forward. Let me check with my Singapore counterpart on how they are helping and working with Indonesia," he said.

"And if it is within our capabilities to also do the same, I don't see why we can't do it, because the haze affects us," he said.

He was also asked to comment on Indonesia which had told Singapore to walk the talk in relation to the latter’s offer to help combat the forest fires.

“We have not reached that level. (That’s why) this sort of thing, if you let it drag, simple things like fighting haze will affect bilateral ties.

“The haze issue must be resolved at the regional level, if not immediately, trilaterally between the three countries,” he said.

Hishammuddin added that the issue could be briefed to the various leaders during the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM).

The thick haze engulfing parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore is clouding diplomatic relations - at least between Singapore and Indonesia.

Malaysia-Indonesia ties remain cordial amid the crisis, which has forced schools to close and flights to be cancelled, as air quality plunges to unhealthy levels.