Specialists urge Malaysia to prioritize fire prevention as regional haze risks intensify.
Malaysia is turning to cloud seeding as haze affects several areas, but climate and weather experts caution that artificial rain offers only temporary relief and depends on suitable weather conditions.
Cloud Seeding Planned Across 13 Areas
Malaysia planned cloud-seeding operations from September 3 to September 5, 2026, covering 13 areas in Sarawak, Kedah, and Perlis, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The measure is intended to encourage rainfall and temporarily reduce haze as air quality deteriorates, particularly in Sarawak. However, experts said its effectiveness depends heavily on suitable atmospheric conditions.
Suitable Clouds Are Essential
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia climatologist Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said cloud seeding may be ineffective when there are insufficient suitable clouds, particularly during dry conditions associated with El Niño. He said the possibility of an El Niño developing in 2026/2027 could bring drier conditions to Kalimantan and southern Sumatra from September through November, increasing the risk of forest and peatland fires.
Rain May Clear Haze Only Briefly
Universiti Malaya meteorologist Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah was even more skeptical, describing cloud seeding as little more than a temporary measure. He said the smoke plume from Sumatra stretched more than 300 kilometers and that rain over a limited area might clear the haze for only one or two hours before prevailing winds brought it back.
Experts Call for Prevention at the Source
The experts said cloud seeding could not provide a lasting solution while the underlying haze problem persisted. Fredolin said authorities should use advance climate forecasts to identify high-risk periods and take preventive action before serious fires and haze develop. He argued that El Niño forecasts available months in advance should trigger preventive action well before haze reaches dangerous levels.
Regional Haze Threat Could Persist
The experts also warned that transboundary haze will remain a concern as long as fires continue and dry weather supports their spread. Changes in prevailing winds may eventually help disperse the haze, but cloud seeding alone would provide only temporary relief.
Malaysia’s reliance on cloud seeding illustrates the difficulty of responding to severe haze once large fires are already burning. Indonesians face growing pressure to prevent forest and peatland fires at their source, while Singaporeans and Malaysians remain vulnerable to pollution carried across borders by regional winds. Stronger early prevention and cross-border coordination will be critical if El Nino conditions increase fire risks in the coming months.
Sources: Asia News Network (2026) , The Star (2026)
Keywords: Malaysia Haze, Cloud Seeding Malaysia, Transboundary Haze, El Nino, Sarawak Haze, Forest Fires
