Malaysia and Brunei are prepared to share expertise in preventing and controlling peat fires in a move to reduce cross-border haze.

Brunei Darussalam Development Minister Awang Suyoi Osman praised Malaysia’s effort to tackle haze and hoped to share such expertise for the benefit of the region.   

“We hope to boost cooperation in numerous related fields with Malaysia,” he said during a visit to the site of a ‘Fire Prevention and Management of Peat Soil’ programme in Permyjaya, near Miri yesterday.  

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Douglas Uggah Embas who was also in the entourage said, peat soils in Mukah and Lawas, in Sarawak, were two new areas which were being studied for the implementation of the programme.   

The programme, which was started in 2010 in the Kuala Baram area, so far has 19 check dams, nine tube wells and a watch tower fully operational, he added.   

- Bernama