Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has accepted Malaysia's offer to assist in fighting forest and land fires in Kalimantan. The decision came during a meeting with Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at Prabowo's residence in Hambalang, Bogor, on September 18.

Malaysia will deploy one Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 personnel from agencies including the National Disaster Management Agency, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The assets are expected to arrive soon to support firefighting operations on the ground and from the air.

The fires have produced transboundary haze affecting air quality in Malaysia and Singapore. Prabowo noted that 1,426 hotspots remain in Kalimantan and that Indonesia has taken legal action against 95 companies involved in open burning. He described the situation as a shared regional environmental concern and expressed gratitude for the assistance, which builds on similar cooperation during past haze episodes.

Both leaders also agreed on longer-term measures to prevent recurring fires and haze. Prabowo indicated he is developing comprehensive prevention strategies to avoid the issue repeating in future years. The meeting covered additional bilateral topics, including the halal industry, with emphasis on maintaining strong neighborly ties.

Indonesia has faced its most intense wildfires in over a decade, with conditions potentially lasting into November. The acceptance of Malaysian aid underscores practical regional cooperation amid ongoing environmental challenges in Southeast Asia.