Malaysia will not resort to open conflict with Indonesia over the haze problem despite its persistent occurrences, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said on Thursday.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Kuala Selangor reached 531 while the figure in Port Klang hit 529, both categorized as "hazardous to health".

Though many people in this country are frustrated with the air pollution which has happened time and again, Malaysia will not enter into open conflict with Indonesia as it will not be good for the regional stability or for the neighborly relations, Syed was quoted as saying by the local media.

Talks and negotiations remain the best way to find the solution and Malaysia will continue to hold talks with Indonesia in the spirit of ASEAN, Syed told reporters in Shah Alam, capital of the Selangor State near Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia is ready to assist Indonesia in putting out forest fires by sending its fire fighters if the need arises, Syed said, adding that preventative measures should be drawn up to prevent the haze from spreading to other countries.

Ministers of the two countries held talks in Indonesia on Thursday to discuss how Malaysia can help to put out the raging fires in Sumatra. The Malaysian delegation was led by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Adenan Satem and Plantation Industry and Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui.

The worsening haze, which has been blanketing many areas in Malaysia for about one week, is caused mainly by the forest fires in Sumatra.

Malaysia's eastern state of Sarawak also suffered a severe haze on Sept. 19, 1997 when a haze emergency was declared there after its API reading surpassed 650.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on late Thursday afternoon declared a haze emergency in two areas of the Selangor state with immediate effect.

Under a state of haze emergency, the National Security Division of the Prime Minister's Department is expected to take several measures. Included are all government offices and private sector including factories, buildings and quarries to close except shops selling foodstuffs and beverages at supermarkets, clinics, pharmacies, medicine shops and other vital services.

However, the haze emergency does not involve curfews and restriction in people's movement or the hand-over of power to the police or military.

Source: Xinhua