Indonesian forest fires cause regional concern

Fardah Antara 29 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Millions of people in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore have been affected by the haze mainly arising from forest, peatland, and plantation fires on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands over the last few weeks.

Dense haze has forced the temporary shutdown of schools in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Tens of thousands of people on the two islands have suffered from diseases, such as respiratory problems, pneumonia, and eye irritation due to the haze.

The operations at airports in some provinces on those islands are almost paralyzed as flights are frequently hindered by the smog arising from wildfires that has reduced visibility up to 50 meters in the worst-hit areas.

The Indonesian government has taken utmost efforts and has deployed nearly three thousand military and police personnel to help put out the fires and impose legal enforcement against the perpetrators.

The Indonesian Police have so far named a total of 204 people as suspects in forest and plantation fire cases across the country.

However, El Nino-induced prolonged drought and strong winds have worsened the fires.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has fallen ill due to the haze, according to a post on this Twitter account.

"Jerebu masih teruk (Haze is still terrible) - I have already lost my voice, and my nose is blocked," he tweeted on Sunday (Sept. 27).

The Malaysian media reported that Hishammuddin also agreed that the haze situation should be discussed at the regional level as it appears to have become a yearly affair.

Straitstimes.com reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was concerned over the worsening haze situation in the country.

"I understand that the haze situation in certain states in Malaysia is at an unhealthy level. Reduce outdoor activities, if needed, use face mask," advised Najib, who was in News York, on his Twitter and Facebook on Sept. 27.

Malaysia's Education Ministry said in a statement on Sept 27 that schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and several parts of Sarawak would be closed on Monday (Sept 28).

Meanwhile, Singapores elementary and high schools were shut down on Sept. 25 as the haze shrouding the city state had reached a hazardous level.

Singapores Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan noted in a statement at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 on Sept. 27 that the issue of forest fires cannot be resolved unilaterally. The haze is affecting the health of millions of people, aircraft safety, and the regional economy.

"We need closer regional and international cooperation to apply legal and commercial pressure on errant companies to prevent them from profiting from unsustainable land and forest clearing," he said as quoted by Straitstimes.com.

Dr Balakrishnan linked the issue of haze to some of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, as well as the sustainable management of forests and preventing land degradation and biodiversity loss.

He said forest and peatland fires in South-east Asia "impair the health of millions of people in the region, compromise the safety of aircraft and damage the regional economy". "The large quantities of carbon dioxide released set back global efforts to mitigate climate change," he added.

On Sept. 10, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that Minister Vivian Balakrishnan conveyed Singapores deep concern over the deteriorating haze situation to Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, according to the Straitstimes.com.

He called for urgent action to be undertaken, including stricter action against the perpetrators.

The NEA also sent warning notices to four Indonesian companies, which were determined to cause the current haze pollution in Singapore.

From its investigations, haze-causing fires may have occurred on land concessions held by four Indonesian companies. The companies are: PT Rimba Hutani Mas, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, PT Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa and PT Wachyuni Mandira.

In addition, NEA has served notice to Asia Pulp and Paper Company (APP), an Indonesian company with an office in Singapore, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions, Channel News Asia reported.

The Singaporean media wrote that deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Dr Balakrishnan have all communicated directly with the Indonesian authorities on Sep 17, 18, 10, and 14 respectively.

A strong criticism came from Singapores Foreign and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, who expressed his discontent through a Facebook post on Sept. 24, while referring to the "shocking statements made by senior-level officials from Indonesia, with a complete disregard for our people, and their own - PSI levels in parts of Indonesia are at almost two thousand (PSI above 350 is considered hazardous in Indonesia)."

"How is it possible for senior officials in the government to issue such statements without any regard for their people, or ours, and without any sense of embarrassment, or a sense of responsibility?" wrote the Singaporean minister, without mentioning the name of the Indonesian senior official.

His criticism was responded by Indonesian Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, who was in New York for the UN General Assembly, on Sept. 27, saying that Indonesia has taken utmost efforts to put out the forest fires, but the problem could not be dealt with in a short period of time.

The Indonesian government is open to receiving assistance from any country, including Singapore, keen to help put out the forest fires, according to him.

"Please do, we are open. Singapore could participate and see personally. Singapore, please (come) if it wants to help, do not just talk," Kalla stated.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said she had communicated with her counterpart in Singapore to explain about the measures being taken by Indonesia.

"Indonesia is very serious about tackling the forest fires, including imposing legal enforcement and increasing public awareness," the minister added.

Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, however, in Jakarta, on Sept. 28, said the country does not need help as of now from Singapore to overcome forest and land fires.

"We will first strive to overcome them (the fires) by ourselves. So far, there has not been any agreement with Singapore (about dealing with these fires)," he added.

Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said there were certain technical constraints in accepting assistance from Singapore.

She said Singapore has offered a water bomber with a capacity of 5,000 liters while Indonesia has already used two to three water bombing units of a similar capacity.

"The BNPB has also prepared 17 water bombing planes with a capacity of 500 liters each," he said.

Singapore has offered to help with a C-130 aircraft to conduct cloud seeding operation and also a Chinooks helicopter to fight forest fires.

"It is used to transport a huge number of personnel and is good but according to the national police chief, it needs an extraordinarily amount of fuel," she said.

Singapore has also offered to send an assessment team and a planning team but Minister Siti said it would be difficult to coordinate with them.

"I cannot imagine it. We are working in five provinces of Riau, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Jambi and Central Kalimantan. Should we have to report to these teams? I have explained this to the President," she said.

With regard to the issue of haze, she said the Indonesian government has made it clear that any party, be it an individual or a company, violating the law will be blacklisted, their permits will be revoked and they will face legal action.

So far, legal action has been initiated against seven companies in connection with land fires and if new violations are found, similar action will be taken, she said.

The government has also been discussing a long-term solution to the problem, including encouraging the communities to change the tradition of burning forests for land clearing.

Referring to Minister Shanmugams criticism, Minister Nurbaya urged the government of Singapore to adopt a wiser and fairer approach to the ongoing forest fires.

"So, actually, what I want to say is that it should also have a fair outlook with regard to it (forest fire problem). The change (in the air pollution index in Singapore) is occurring hourly. It is frequently going up and down. What does it mean? It means that Indonesia has been making efforts (to extinguish the fires). We do not stay idle. Moreover, they said the government is shameless and irresponsible," the minister stated after speaking at a discussion on "Ecosystem management, hydrology and rehabilitation after peatland ecosystem fires".

In the meantime, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki has called on Singapore to understand the difficulties being faced by Indonesia in dealing with the current forest and land fires.

"This is not a simple task," he informed newsmen at the presidential palace compound on Sept. 28.

He pointed out that Singapore, on the other hand, had also enjoyed clean air for more than nine months from Sumatra.

"We know about several plantation and mining industries that stash their income from exports in Singapore," he affirmed.

He emphasized that Indonesia is not staying idle, but has continued to make efforts to fight the fires and imposed sanctions on those setting fires to forests or land that led to haze.(*)


Haze shrouds ASEAN forum on transnational crime
Even though the meeting had nothing to do with the haze, ASEAN ministers concurred it is a regional problem that could sour relations among member countries.
Melissa Goh, Malaysia Bureau Chief, Channel NewsAsia 29 Sep 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: For weeks, choking haze from neighbouring Indonesia has shrouded many parts of Southeast Asia, polluting air to unhealthy levels, forcing schools to close, and disrupting flights.

It was no surprise then that the matter surfaced on Tuesday (Sep 29) at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forum on transnational crime - a meeting that had nothing to do with the haze.

"We are enjoying the haze imported from our neighbour, but I do understand that Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia are very tolerant neighbours. This is part of an ASEAN problem," said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi.

The issue is threatening to sour relations with Jakarta as affected countries begin to count the cost of the perennial haze, generated by forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. These fires are a result of companies and individuals using slash-and-burn methods to clear land.

"If you let it drag, simple things like fighting haze can become something that will affect bilateral ties,” said Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. “It must be resolved on a regional issue if not bilaterally, trilaterally between Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia."

Singapore on its own has served legal notice on five Indonesian companies it believes are among those responsible for the fires. Under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, companies can be fined up to US$70,000 a day for the unhealthy air.

"It's the first step for us to see what we can do from Singapore to make sure companies registered in Singapore can be put to task for supporting, promoting or even perpetrating those acts from across our waters," said Singapore Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli.

But its effective enforcement, Masagos said, will require cooperation from other countries.

Indonesia's police chief General Badrodin Haiti, who was present at the ASEAN forum, said more than 40 individuals have been arrested in connection with starting fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Jakarta he said is also freezing assets and suspending concession rights of errant companies regardless if they are locally or foreign owned. "From the information gathered, three already have their licenses suspended while one was revoked, we hope this will help with the situation," he said.

But although enforcement is key and heavier penalties may act as a deterrent, at the end of the day, companies that flout the laws repeatedly will eventually have a bad reputation and lose out in the long run.

"The world today is more sensitised to environmental issue,” said Masagos. “We hope that it will set a good signal to these companies to take it seriously because it will affect their bottom line sooner or later."

- CNA/ec


Indonesia believes its forest fires not on agenda for Asean Ministerial Meeting
LOSHANA K SHAGAR AND JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI The Star 29 Sep 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia believes its forest fires will not be on the agenda of the 10th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) this week.

Indonesian police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said the country's long-standing problem of forest fires will not be an agenda at AMMTC because it was not a transnational crime, but an issue to be dealt at another platform.

"At the moment we have dealt with approximately 210 cases of forest fires both from Sumatera and Kalimantan.

"All the cases are being investigated, including those involving some corporations, and about 40 of the cases can be charged in court soon," he told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting Tuesday.

Asked on a Singaporean volunteer group's plan to sue companies involved in starting fires in Indonesia, Badrodin said there was no action by Indonesian police on the matter at the moment.

"Coordination for the matter will be managed by the foreign ministry.

"It is also important to note that while most of the corporations that condone the open burning have Indonesian names, they could actually be run by foreign investors," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi later responded to Badrodin's statement, saying he appreciated the Indonesian government's commitment towards solving the problem.

"Hopefully with a more comprehensive approach and effort, this haze won't be a problem from next year on.

"I am confident that the Indonesian president (Joko Widodo) will be able to tackle the problem as well," he told reporters at a press conference here.


Indonesia sends thousands to fight fires, makes no progress against hazardous 'haze'
Reuters 29 Sep 15;

Indonesia has sent nearly 21,000 personnel to fight forest fires raging in its northern islands, the disaster management agency said on Tuesday, but smoke cloaks much of the region with pollution readings in the "very unhealthy" region in neighboring Singapore.

Slash-and-burn agriculture has blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia in a choking "haze" for weeks, pushing up pollution levels and disrupting flights, as it does every year. Indonesian efforts to halt the seasonal clearances have failed.

More than 135,000 Indonesians were reported to be suffering from respiratory diseases, the disaster agency said in a statement.

"Looking at the current situation, it essential for us to extend the period of state of emergency due to haze for another 14 days," said Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, acting governor of Riau province, one of the worst-hit areas.

"Our focus will remain on monitoring the health of our people."

Schools in parts of Malaysia were ordered closed for a second day on Tuesday and Singaporean commuters were wearing masks as they have for much of the last two weeks.

Indonesia has faced criticism for turning down offers of help from Singapore, even as it struggles to contain fires that have been exacerbated by a prolonged dry season.

Indonesian officials, including Vice President Jusuf Kalla, have repeatedly said they have enough resources to handle the crisis, with Kalla adding that neighboring countries should be grateful for clean air provided by Indonesia's rainforests outside the haze season.

Kalla this week toned down his earlier comments and said Indonesia was open to foreign assistance, according to media.

President Joko Widodo last week visited Central Kalimantan and called for urgent action including building canals to irrigate parched peatlands where fires can be harder to put out, media reported.

Indonesian government has launched investigations of more than 200 companies and taken legal action against just four.

(Reporting by Reuters reporters; Additional reporting by Bernadette Christina in JAKARTA and Rujun Shen in SINGAPORE; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie)