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Singapore supports approach outlined by Indonesian president on tackling haze: Shanmugam
Olivia Siong Channel NewsAsia 28 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said the country fully supports the approach outlined by the Indonesian president to tackle the haze.

This comes as Singapore awaits clarification on whether Singapore-linked companies are involved in the Sumatra fires, causing the bad air.

Mr Shanmugam said he and the Attorney-General have an outline on what can be done to take Singapore-linked firms to task, if they are found to be responsible.

But he said this will be contingent on whether Singapore-linked companies are involved.

So far, he said what has been said by Indonesian officials has been contradictory. He said evidence will also need to be shown.

He said: "We don't have any updates. We have sent a formal diplomatic note through the Indonesian ambassador in Singapore, to let us know, this is simply for us to find out whether indeed any Singapore-linked companies are involved.

"The primary consideration for Indonesia is really to put out the fires. You heard what the president said. And also the Indonesian president has said that the actions are taking place in Indonesia. It doesn't matter where the companies are from, Indonesia must take action, and we fully support the approach outlined by the Indonesian president."

Mr Shanmugam added that beyond the haze, foreign affairs ministers will discuss how ASEAN can work better together to cope with natural disasters in the region.

He said: "It's not just the haze. Countries in this region suffer from a wide variety of natural disasters and it really is in all of our interests. Even the haze, if you look at it, it's not just one country, people in Indonesia suffer, they probably suffer the most, and Malaysia, Singapore.

“Indonesian authorities are aware. You saw what the president has said. They want to do what is right, and the idea is how we can all work together. How can ASEAN as a community… is there something we can do together? And that needs to be discussed and we will be discussing that. I have indicated that I will be raising it.”

- CNA/xq

A regional look at haze issue needed: Shanmugam
Today Online 29 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE — The first and most important step in dealing with the haze is to put out the fires in Indonesia, even though Singapore’s Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will also need to discuss the frameworks that can be put in place to address future environment issues — such as floods and other natural disasters — that may arise.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of this weekend’s ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Brunei, Mr Shanmugam noted that while Singapore has enjoyed “a few clear days” this week, areas in Malaysia and in Indonesia remain in “a state of emergency”.

“And when the winds shift, we could easily be engulfed again,” he added in the interview, which was aired yesterday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s “very statesman-like” apology and statement on Monday sent a clear message to his own officials and also gave indications of “substantially increased resources to deal with the fires”, said Mr Shanmugam, who added that both Singapore and Malaysia have also offered their assistance.

“That is the first step — (the) most important — to see,” he said.

Next, the region will need to ensure that the haze will not be happening “every year or once in five years”.

“We really need a sort of a regional look at this because it is not just an Indonesia issue, a Singapore issue or a Malaysia issue. It affects the region and, indeed, the world in terms of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions,” said Mr Shanmugam, who added that he would hold talks with his counterparts from Indonesia and Malaysia, with the issue also to be discussed by ASEAN.

Discussions, however, have to be conducted in “a constructive, problem-solving way, rather than looking specifically at individual countries”.

“We’ll have to see how, in what appropriate forum, this can be discussed, what sort of mechanisms can be put in place. This is really a question of trying to work on regional issues. It’s not just the haze — there are floods, there are other natural disasters. How do we handle all these? This is a matter of interest, not just to the three countries but other countries as well,” said Mr Shanmugam.

The minister said Singapore would press Indonesia for evidence concerning the companies which are involved in starting the fires. First, Singapore would like to know who owns the land, which Mr Shanmugam said only the Indonesian authorities would know. Second, it would like to receive evidence, based on eye-witness accounts, as to who was responsible for starting the fires.

“We need these two, and with that, I think we can do something,” Mr Shanmugam said.

When asked specifically about the steps Singapore will take to try to address these issues and go after the companies at fault, Mr Shanmugam replied: “I do not want to go into that right now, but we have worked out with the Attorney-General a set of steps that we can take. If and when we get the evidence, then we will look at it.”

Haze to be hot topic at Asean meeting
S'pore focus: Put out fires, prevent recurrence, tackle firms involved
Leonard Lim And Esther Teo In Bandar Seri Begawan

THE haze afflicting Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and parts of Thailand is expected to be a major discussion topic when Asean foreign ministers convene in Brunei this weekend.

Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam leads a Singapore delegation to Bandar Seri Begawan today for a series of meetings that includes the 20th Asean Regional Forum.

Later today, he will attend a trilateral meeting with his Indonesia and Malaysia counterparts over the haze, a week after the Pollutant Standards Index in Singapore soared to a record 401.

Tomorrow, the group convenes for the Asean Ministerial Meeting, and ways to tackle the haze will once again be on the agenda.

"The idea is, how can we all work together?" Mr Shanmugam told local reporters yesterday.

"How can Asean as a community - and Asean acts by consensus - is there something we can do together? And if so, what?"

There are three issues Singapore will focus on regarding the haze, he told the BBC separately in an interview aired yesterday ahead of his four-day trip.

These are stopping the burning, preventing a recurrence and taking action on any companies with Singapore links which are involved in the burning of land.

The first, most important and urgent step is to put out the fires in Indonesia and make sure no new ones start, said Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister.

"We have had a few clear days. But areas in Malaysia, areas in Indonesia, are still in a state of emergency. And when the winds shift, we could easily be engulfed again," he said.

The second focus is to take a regional look at the haze to prevent the problem - which has plagued not just Singapore, but the region and the rest of the world for over a decade - from recurring.

Finally, he pledged that the Government would be "very firm" in looking at what it could do if there was proof that companies based out of Singapore or with Singapore links had been involved in the fires.

The Attorney-General has "worked out some steps" on what could be done, and has spoken to him, the minister said.

Mr Shanmugam told reporters: "It really depends on, first of all, whether there are Singapore-linked companies. The point on that has been contradictory."

Singapore conveyed a diplomatic note on Monday to Indonesia seeking clarifications. Singapore is also asking Indonesia for evidence of the firms' involvement.

"In terms of due process, we need that kind of evidence," said Mr Shanmugam, who declined to go into the steps that could be taken as the companies had not been identified.

Apart from the haze, the 10 Asean ministers will discuss the grouping's direction and external relations, and the evolving regional architecture, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

Asean ministers will also jointly meet each of their 10 dialogue partners - including Japan, the United States and China - to review ties and ongoing cooperation.

They will engage their counterparts at the Asean Plus Three and the East Asia Summit meetings, and track progress in the Asean Community-building goals.

On Tuesday, ministers from the 26-member Asean Regional Forum, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, will exchange views on regional developments.

Mr Shanmugam will be accompanied by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu, who is also Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Foreign Affairs.

Additional reporting by Rachel Chang