Indonesia's neighbours, blanketed by smoke haze from forest fires three months ago, were yesterday preparing plans to tackle the return of the chronic smoke.
As air-quality worsened in Singapore - amid reports more than 500 fires were raging across Sarawak and Indonesian Kalimantan - the city state said it would re-form its anti-haze taskforce.
The group, consisting of 21 government agencies, will draw up a precautionary action plan.
'This forms part of the Government's efforts to ensure full preparedness to deal with any impending smoke haze problem that we may face in a timely and effective manner,' a Department of Environment spokesman said.
In the past few days, Singapore's air pollution index has fallen below 'healthy' levels and it is feared dense haze could hit the region by April.
Skies were clear yesterday in Kuching, capital of Malaysia's Sarawak state, which is hosting meetings on haze and other pollution issues this week - but the north of the state was getting a taste of the latest outbreak of haze.