An Umno state assemblyperson has urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, whose government's rating is at an all-time low due to several scandals, to take stern action against Indonesia for causing haze in the region as this will help him to win support.

"If there is one thing that our prime minister can champion that will bring all Malaysians together in his support, it is to successfully penalise the country that has given us respiratory problems for the last 18 years," said Kempas state assemblyperson Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Jumat.

Tengku Putra ( photo ) urged Najib to prove his mettle in Malaysia's capacity as chairperson of Asean by imposing sanctions on Indonesia.

"Malaysia is the worst-hit among the four affected nations and being chair-country of Asean, it is imperative that we use all resources to implore our allies to impose an effective sanction to train this perpetrator nation on how to be a good neighbour.

"(By providing) leadership in Asean - to get the citizens of this region fresh air to breathe and sunshine to bask in - Najib will prove his mettle among his fellow men.

"Let this move be the last but most memorable act in his capacity as chairperson of Asean for 2015," he said.

A fixed season

Tengku Putra's statement came five days after Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi insisted that Malaysia would not pressure Indonesia over the haze problem.

"It's unfair to put any pressure on Indonesia.

"President Joko Widodo has shown strong commitment to solving the problem in the long term," Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying last Thursday.

However, Tengku Putra said the haze this time has got on Malaysians' nerves after 18 years of excuses and it had become like a fixed season in the calendar.

"We are experiencing the worst transgression on our environment which has caused people's health to suffer...

"Schools have had to be closed for many days as the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) has averaged well above 150 for the past six weeks.

"Needless to say, businesses have taken a hard hit, flight schedules have been disrupted, and sports and tourism events have been cancelled ... (resulting in) losses running into billions of ringgit," he said.

Affirmative action

Tengku Putra urged Putrajaya to tabulate the losses caused by the haze and publish them on a monthly basis.

"Even though we can't bill the culprits for our losses, we can effect some form of action towards them," he said.

He added that blaming Malaysian companies for causing open burning in Indonesia was not an excuse as it was up to the latter country to punish those responsible in accordance with their laws, even if it meant executing them.

"It is time the affected senior member countries of Asean presented their strongest argument for affirmative action to be taken against Indonesia for its careless attitude towards the well-being of its own people and, most importantly, its neighbours.

"Eighteen years is too long for us to be dancing to Indonesia's same pathetic tune.

"Clearly, international responsibility is not high on the list of importance to Indonesia and therefore diplomacy should no longer be the mode of engagement with them," he said.