SERI ISKANDAR: The Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Ministry is drawing up a new law that will hold Malaysians causing pollution overseas accountable, says Yeo Bee Yin.

The Minister said that the new law would be called the Cross-Border Pollution Act and will apply to Malaysian companies and individuals.

"We are in the midst of preparing the policy and will bring it to the Cabinet for approval. Once approved, a draft will be prepared," she added.

Yeo said that while it usually takes months – sometimes years – to bring a new law into effect, her Ministry has contacted the Attorney General's Chambers about the urgency for this.

"We will work closely with them once we have received approval from the Cabinet," she added.

On a separate matter, Yeo said the Indonesian government had not responded to offer from Malaysia to handle the haze crisis.

"They have neither responded to us nor the offer from Singapore to help them," she said.