Palanivel to lead Malaysian delegation to MSC meeting in Indonesia Tuesday

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel will lead the Malaysian delegation to the 17th Meeting of Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) in Indonesia, beginning Tuesday.

According to the ministry's statement on Monday, the two-day meeting would discuss on issues and actions to be taken to enhance regional cooperation and management mechanisms control of the transboundary haze pollution.

The statement said Palanivel is also the vice-chairman of the meeting session, which involves five countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand on July 28 and 29 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"The presence of the Malaysian delegation is expected to play a more effective role to reduce the transboundary haze pollution," it said.

The ministry's deputy secretary-general (Environment) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Nik, Environment Department director-general Datuk Halimah Hassan and senior officials are among the delegates.

Last year, Indonesia's Parliament agreed to ratify the Asean Agreement On Transboundary Haze Pollution and after 12 years it was signed, to tackle transboundary haze problem in a more comprehensive and effective manner.