Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia 8 Aug 09;
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said on Saturday Indonesia needs to do more to tackle the haze problem.
Speaking at a charity event, Dr Yaacob said he is disappointed with some of Indonesia's responses to the recent haze.
He added that while the haze is not a new problem, it is something to be concerned about and more needs to be done to improve the situation.
Singapore has been shrouded in haze since Thursday as hotspots from the Sumatran provinces of Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra sent smoke haze blowing into Singapore. Saturday's PSI reading at 4pm was 54, which is in the moderate range.
Dr Yaacob said Singapore is not trying to pinpoint faults in Indonesia's system.
While Singapore is taking a proactive approach in working with Indonesia to tackle the problem, cooperation from Indonesia is necessary to ensure success in fighting haze.
"I think the international community will continue to play their part, but if Indonesia doesn't take the lead and tackle this, then it will not solve the problem. That being said, we on our part are always ready to help them," the minister said.
- CNA/so
Indonesia must take lead over haze, says Yaacob
Straits Times 9 Aug 09;
Indonesia must take the lead in dealing with the regional haze problem, and Singapore will continue to extend its help to Jakarta, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said yesterday.
He was speaking at the Semakau Run 2009, jointly organised by the National Environment Agency and Mediacorp, and held on the island.
The haze, caused by fires in Sumatra, has returned to Singapore this month.
The almost annual haze episodes have led to complaints to the Indonesian government by its Asean neighbours.
Dr Yaacob was responding to recent comments made by Jakarta's Forestry Minister that the Indonesian government would take firm action against those setting fires in Sumatra only if flights were disrupted and protests erupted in neighbouring countries.
'We have taken a proactive approach where we have basically organised the ministerial steering committee for us to come together between the five countries.
'On Singapore's part, we will continue to assist them where we can,' said Dr Yaacob.
'If Indonesia does not take the lead and tackle this, then I think it will not solve the problem.'
He said he was a bit disappointed at the comments made, and reiterated that Singapore will continue to play its part and work together with the region to evaluate the situation.
Dr Yaacob pointed to a recent project in Jambi province in Indonesia: Air quality monitoring stations there feed information about what is going on.
He hoped 'more such efforts can be duplicated on the ground'.
He said: 'We have done our part in Jambi. It has proven that it can work. Perhaps one thing that Indonesia can do is replicate what we have done in Jambi in other provinces.
'Let's take a long-term positive approach,' he said, adding that the Asean Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) on Transboundary Haze Pollution has brought forward its meeting to this week.
'This will allow us to evaluate the Indonesian plan of action and give us a chance to see whether or not progress has been made and what more can be done,' he said.
The committee's five members are Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Meanwhile, the Pollutant Standards Index for Singapore overall was 54 as at 4pm yesterday. The reading indicates moderate air quality.
Shuli Sudderuddin
Air quality poorer in Malaysia's Borneo
Yahoo News 9 Aug 09;
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Air quality in Malaysia's Sarawak state on Borneo island edged towards "very unhealthy" levels of pollution Sunday as wildfires raged in forests and peat-growing land in the state.
The Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded unhealthy levels of between 122 and 197 in four areas on Sunday morning, three in Sarawak and one in southern Johor state, the Environment Department said on its website.
The API considers a score of 101-200 to be unhealthy, while 201-300 is very unhealthy.
According to the Star newspaper, wildfires were raging in more than 1,000 hectares (around 2,500 acres) near the Sarawak-Brunei border, causing thick smoke.
Malaysia was hit with the worst haze levels recorded this year on Wednesday and Thursday, when the API recorded six "unhealthy" areas.
Officials said the haze was caused by hundreds of forest fires that were blazing in the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and in Sarawak.
Farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia's half of Borneo island burn forests every year to clear land for agriculture, sending plumes of smoke across neighbouring countries.
The haze hit its worst level in 1997-1998, costing the Southeast Asian region an estimated nine billion dollars by disrupting air travel and other business activities.
1,000ha ablaze in Sarawak
The Star 9 Aug 09;
MIRI: Wildfires are raging in more than 1,000ha of forests and peat land near the Sarawak-Brunei border, resulting in a heavy concentration of thick smoke and ash which is choking the people living in the Kuala Baram area.
According to the Miri Fire and Rescue Department and local politicians, some 3,000ha have been burnt.
Miri Division Fire Chief Christian Olas said the fires were most intense near the bridge linking Sarawak to Brunei.
“More than 1,000ha in Kuala Baram district are still on fire.
“We have doused many fires over the past few days but they keep spreading due to the strong wind. New fires keep on appearing.
“Our firefighters are already on 24-hour duty. We only have 37 firefighters on the ground because we are short of manpower,” said Olas.
Checks by The Star Saturday showed that the area was choked with thick smoke and burnt smell.
Visibility was still at dangerously-low levels, with some stretches of the Pan-Borneo Highway blanketed with smoke.
At some stretches, visibility was between 100m to 200m. The thick haze has also blotted out the sun.
State authorities have called for more measures to contain the fires.
Assistant state Infrastructure Development and Communication minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the fires in his Senadin constituency, which is located in the Kuala Baram district, had burned more than 3,000ha of land.
“The fire department will build a watchtower to detect the fires swiftly and to enable better and more effective enforcement against open-burning activities,” he said.
The Air Pollution Index (API) in four locations in Sarawak - Bintulu, Miri, Samarahan and Sibu - were in unhealthy levels, with Sibu having a high API reading.
Kapit, Limbang and Sarikei had moderate air quality readings. There were no readings for Kuching.
The other three locations with unhealthy air quality were Bukit Rambai (in Malacca) and Muar.
Projects to battle haze to be expanded
New Straits Times 9 Aug 09;
PEKAN BARU: Malaysia hopes its two pilot projects implemented in Bagan Siapi-api in Riau to tackle the haze will succeed and be expanded to other areas.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said the two projects were an air quality monitoring station and canal-blocking which would prevent the forest from drying to the extent of catching fire during drought.
"It is hoped that the projects would tackle the haze which has been enveloping Malaysia and Singapore annually," he said after 'handing over' the two projects to Indonesian Environment Minister Rahmat Witoelar here yesterday.
Uggah said the projects would also be expanded to Kalimantan, which shared a border with Sabah and Sarawak.
Several other efforts would be discussed at the Cabinet Committee Meeting on Transboundary Haze Pollution on Aug 18.
Rahmat, in welcoming the Malaysia-funded projects, said it was a sign of true friendship, especially when the technology had the potential to be developed to put out the fires raging in forests in Indonesia.
He said Indonesia had also carried out haze prevention projects with Singapore which was affected by the haze from forest fires in Riau. -- Bernama
