PETALING JAYA: Reading Malaysia will hold a forum at Universiti Malaya on Feb 4 to discuss the book The Haze Problem in Southeast Asia: Palm Oil and Patronage.

Written by Dr Helena Varkkey, the book looks into some of the reasons why transboundary haze continues to be a major environmental problem in South-East Asia despite the seemingly best efforts of the regional governments.

Her book describes how the related extensive clearing of forests, by unregulated logging and burning, has been a core factor contributing to the haze.

Dr Varkkey explains in the book how well-connected companies gain access to land as well as escape prosecution for their illegal modes of deforestation.

At the forum, Assoc Prof Helen Nesadurai from Monash University Malaysia and Dr Patrick O’Reilly from Crops for the Future will offer their views.

Assoc Prof Nesadurai will discuss how the study highlights the limitations of new modes of global environmental governance while Dr O’Reilly will position the book against recent global developments, including the new UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The forum will be held at Lecture Hall 3 of the Faculty of Economics and Administration at 7.30pm.