Singapore will continue working to tackle root causes of haze-causing fires: MFA

Singapore looks forward to Indonesia’s response to “repeated requests” to share information on the errant companies contributing to the haze, following its agreement to do so on Sep 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.
Channel NewsAsia 25 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Even though Singapore’s fire-fighting mission in Indonesia has ended, the work to tackle the root causes of the haze-causing fires is not over, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Sunday (Oct 25).

A team comprising 40 Singapore Armed Forces’ and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers returned home on Saturday after more than 10 days battling forest fires in Palembang, Indonesia.

In response to media queries, MFA said the Government intends to enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation to tackle the fires, and will continue to take legal action against errant companies responsible for the haze through the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

To that end, Singapore looks forward to Indonesia’s response to “repeated requests” to share information on the errant companies following its agreement to do so on Sep 27, MFA said.

“This information will be critical in helping Singapore to take the fullest course of legal action against these companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act,” it said.

Singapore’s deployment was a demonstration of its commitment to work closely with Indonesia and other affected countries to address the haze problem, MFA said.

“Over the last two weeks, the Singapore Armed Forces and the Singapore Civil Defence Force have worked tirelessly in very difficult conditions to assist Indonesia in its fire-fighting efforts. The Singapore Government has offered haze assistance packages to Indonesia since 2005, and our assistance this year is in line with what the Indonesian Government had requested,” it said.

SINGAPORE COMMITTED TO BILATERAL COOPERATION

Despite the protracted haze situation this year, Singapore remains committed to cooperating with Indonesia, MFA said.

“We look forward to resuming our bilateral environmental cooperation with Jambi Province which has been beneficial to the peoples of Jambi. Singapore hopes to expand such cooperation to other regions and provinces in Indonesia,” it said.

The ministry also called for “firm and decisive action” from ASEAN to prevent the recurrence of the haze. It said Singapore will work closely with other ASEAN countries to fully operationlise the ASEAN Haze Monitoring System and other cooperative initiatives.

The fires and haze have global implications, MFA said, adding that this year’s fires have resulted in a “significant increase” of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Singapore will continue to work with like-minded countries, at the international level, on a lasting solution, including in the global effort to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

- CNA/cy


S’pore committed to tackling haze issue with Indonesia, other ASEAN countries: MFA
Today Online 25 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Government will continue to “enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation to tackle the root causes of the fires that cause haze”, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson in a press statement today (Oct 25).

On Oct 10, a Singapore team comprising of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel was deployed to Indonesia to help in its fire-fighting efforts. The team returned home yesterday after two weeks, having discharged more than 400,000 litres of water and doused more than 50 hotspots.

Over the last 10 years, the Singapore government has offered haze assistance packages to Indonesia and the assistance this year is in line with what the Indonesian government had requested, MFA said.

“Over the last two weeks, the SAF and the SCDF have worked tirelessly in very difficult conditions to assist Indonesia in its fire-fighting efforts.

The deployment was a demonstration of Singapore’s commitment to work closely with Indonesia, and other affected countries, to address an annual problem which continues to affect Indonesia and many countries in the region, particularly the health and livelihoods of our peoples,” said the MFA.

Reinforcing the need for effective preventive action against a protracted haze situation, the Government said it will continue to serve legal notices to errant companies responsible for the haze through the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA). So far, notices to five errant companies have been served.

“We look forward to Indonesia’s response to our repeated requests to share information on these companies, following its agreement to do so on Sept 27. This information will be critical in helping Singapore to take the fullest course of legal action against these companies under the THPA,” MFA said.

The cooperation will extend beyond Indonesia, and include other ASEAN countries affected by the haze.

The MFA added: “ASEAN must take firm and decisive action, through enhanced regional cooperation, to help prevent the recurrence of this transboundary problem. Singapore will work closely with other ASEAN countries to fully operationalise the ASEAN Haze Monitoring System, and other cooperative initiatives.”

The haze situation has adversely affected countries in the neighbouring region, causing Singapore and parts of Malaysia to force schools to close and airlines to cancel flights. While Thailand usually avoids the worst effects of Indonesia’s fires, prevailing winds in recent weeks have driven the smog further north, resulting in the country having the worst polluting levels in a decade. WONG CASANDRA


S’pore haze mission over, but fight to go on
Today Online 26 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — Even though Singapore’s fire-fighting mission in Indonesia has ended, the work to tackle the root causes of the haze-causing fires is not over, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said yesterday.

The Ministry said the Government intends to enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation to tackle the fires, and will continue to take legal action against errant companies responsible for the haze through the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. To this end, Singapore looks forward to Indonesia’s response to “repeated requests” to share information on the errant companies following its agreement to do so on Sept 27, the MFA said.

“This information will be critical in helping Singapore to take the fullest course of legal action against these companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act,” it said. A team comprising 40 Singapore Armed Forces’ and Singapore Civil Defence Force officers returned home on Saturday after more than 10 days battling forest fires in Palembang, Indonesia.

Singapore’s deployment was a demonstration of its commitment to work closely with Indonesia and other affected countries to address the haze problem, the MFA said.

“Over the last two weeks, the Singapore Armed Forces and the Singapore Civil Defence Force have worked tirelessly in very difficult conditions to assist Indonesia in its fire-fighting efforts. The Singapore Government has offered haze assistance packages to Indonesia since 2005, and our assistance this year is in line with what the Indonesian Government had requested,” it said.

Despite the protracted haze situation this year, Singapore remains committed to cooperating with Indonesia, the MFA said. “We look forward to resuming our bilateral environmental cooperation with Jambi Province which has been beneficial to the peoples of Jambi. Singapore hopes to expand such cooperation to other regions and provinces in Indonesia,” it said.

The ministry also called for “firm and decisive action” from ASEAN to prevent the recurrence of the haze. It said Singapore will work closely with other ASEAN countries to fully operationalise the ASEAN Haze Monitoring System and other cooperative initiatives. The fires and haze have global implications, the MFA said, adding that this year’s fires have resulted in a “significant increase” of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Singapore will continue to work with like-minded countries, at the international level, on a lasting solution, including in the global effort to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

The hazy conditions and reduced visibility yesterday in Singapore are expected to persist today, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA). In its advisory, it said there is a possibility of some deterioration if denser haze is blown in from Kalimantan.

As of 6pm last night, the 3-hour PSI was 153. Air quality is expected to be in the mid to high sections of the unhealthy range. CHANNEL NEWSASIA


Singapore urges ASEAN to act on haze
AFP AsiaOne 25 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE - Singapore on Sunday urged fellow ASEAN members to take "firm and decisive action" against the lethal haze still spreading across the region ahead of a group summit in Malaysia next month.

The city-state, one of the most badly affected by recurring smog from land fires in Indonesia, issued the call after Singaporean troops and firefighters returned from an international assistance mission in Indonesia's Sumatra island.

"ASEAN must take firm and decisive action, through enhanced regional cooperation, to help prevent the recurrence of this transboundary problem," Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

"Singapore will work closely with other ASEAN countries to fully operationalise the ASEAN Haze Monitoring System, and other cooperative initiatives," it said.

The haze has killed at least 10 in Indonesia and caused respiratory illnesses in half a million, Jakarta authorities said, while winds have carried the smoke into Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines this year.

In some instances this has forced the closure of schools, disrupted air traffic and restricted people indoors. Thai officials said the haze was the worst they had seen in a decade and called its continuing spread a "crisis".

Leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold a summit in Kuala Lumpur on November 19 before expanding to meet their counterparts from key trading partners in the following two days.

The agenda of the summit has not been made public, but diplomatic sources say the haze is likely to be raised by member countries affected by the pollution.

The MFA said Singapore will pursue legal action against "errant companies responsible for the haze" and called on Indonesia to respond to "our repeated requests to share information" on the firms.

Paper and palm oil firms have been blamed for deliberately setting off fires to clear land - including flammable peat-rich terrain - for cultivation, a traditional practice aggravated this year by drier-than-usual conditions due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Singapore last month launched legal action that could lead to massive fines against Indonesian companies.

Five Indonesian companies including multinational Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), part of the Sinar Mas conglomerate, have been served with legal notices.