KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The recent haze has cost some Malaysian businesses additional haze-related expenses of at least RM280,000, according to a report commissioned by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).
The report said 45 sites provided estimates of extra spending in FMM’s survey of 86 member sites, 81 of them manufacturers.
Almost all respondents who reported an operational impact said they had incurred additional costs, mainly for masks and medical expenses.
Among the 59 sites reporting some impact, 92 per cent said they had spent more.
Masks were cited by 76 per cent and medical costs by 58 per cent, the report said.
The survey covered the effects of haze from October 5 onwards, with responses collected between October 12 and 21.
More than two-thirds of all responding sites reported some operational impact, while 26 per cent said disruption was moderate or significant.
FMM said the survey results describe only the responding sites and should not be treated as representative of all manufacturers.
Most respondents were in Selangor and Penang, and only two were in Sarawak, which the report identified as the worst-affected state.
The report also noted that extra spending across the wider economy, including on protection, was not valued because public data for this season were unavailable.
FMM president Jacob Lee Chor Kok said that transboundary haze has become a recurring regional challenge that requires more decisive and coordinated action.
“Year after year, Malaysia and neighbouring countries continue to experience the consequences of transboundary haze. Beyond environmental degradation, haze affects people’s health, workers’ wellbeing, industrial productivity and economic activities.
“For manufacturers, prolonged haze can result in employee illness, absenteeism, disruptions to production and deliveries, and additional expenditure on protective measures and healthcare. These costs ultimately affect business competitiveness and economic resilience,” he added.
The federation urged regional leaders to give greater attention to transboundary haze pollution at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings and Asean meetings, including through the relevant environmental, economic and ministerial cooperation mechanisms.
“Transboundary haze does not recognise national boundaries. Its consequences are shared by neighbouring countries, their populations and their economies. Therefore, its prevention cannot be the responsibility of any single country alone.
“FMM appeals to Apec and Asean leaders to place greater emphasis on this recurring challenge and strengthen regional cooperation in scientific research, environmental monitoring, early warning systems, sustainable land management and fire prevention,” said Lee.
According to the report, Malaysia recorded 422 city-days with an API above 100 across 13 cities between July 1 and October 22, compared with 207 in the same period of 2019.
West Sarawak experienced 63 days of haze episodes.
School closures during the season amounted to an estimated 8.4 million to 13.4 million student-days.
