Indonesian officials on a recent study tour of Malaysia felt the techniques could also be adopted to spare the region from further haze problems. While Malaysia practises zero-burning techniques for second plantings, Indonesia relies on the slash-and-burn concept which has resulted in health problems and environmental damage over the years.

In 2002, smoke from forest fires and slash-and-burn land clearing in Indonesia sent scores of people to hospitals, closed schools and delayed flights. Respiratory and health problems were mounting, schools were closing and some airline flights were delayed in Indonesian areas of Borneo as smoke pollution from forest fires worsened.

Recently, a group of Indonesian officials involved in forestry and the environment visited Malaysia’s peat forests and oil palm plantations as part of a study tour under the Asean Peatland Management Initiative. The delegates went on a series of field visits to oil palm estates and forest reserve areas in Pahang and Selangor.

The group, comprising government and non-government representatives, was sponsored by the UNDP-Global Environment Centre & Danida Project and the Canadian International Development Agency. In Selangor, they visited the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in the northwest of the State. Burhanudin Ali, head of Kapuas district in Central Kalimantan, said Indonesia needed to learn from Malaysia’s capabilities in peat-forest management, particularly in draining peat land for logging and land development — both of which may contribute to dry-season peat fires.

"We have some problems with drainage in a few places and these have caused forest fires. It happens every year," Burhanudin said.

"We want to learn from Malaysia how to implement the zero-burning technique for developing oil-palm plantations on peat land." Indonesia, he said, lacked the technical know-how.

"There are 3.5 million hectares of peat land in the Kapuas district alone and we have designated one million hectares for oil palm," he said. Indonesia, said Burhanudin, lacked regulations and law enforcement.

The group will submit a report to the governor of Central Kalimantan in a week. Global Environment Centre director Faizal Parish said the study tour was beneficial for both parties, as in return Indonesia could help Malaysia with its community forestry projects.