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Press Release
12 Oct 2006
Time for real action on the Indonesian haze
As early as 1992, the then Environment Minister Dr Ahmad Mattar
told Parliament that the government would work with the Indonesian
government to look into the problem of the haze from forest fires
in Indonesia.
In 1994, his successor Mr Mah Bow Tan assured Parliament that Indonesia
had identified the causes of the haze and had mapped out a series
of preventive measures. The focus then was to implement measures
to prevent future forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. It was
said that there would be annual meetings between the Singapore and
Indonesian Environment Ministers to review progress. He cautioned
that Singaporeans should not expect a reprieve in the short term.
Subsequent Environment Ministers have also answered recurring questions
on the haze.
Singaporeans have been more than patient. Fourteen years on, what
progress has been made?
There is an ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, but
Indonesia has yet to ratify it. The PSI levels in Singapore continue
to reach unhealthful levels, reducing visibility and creating health
problems such as respiratory difficulties and eye irritation. Singaporeans
have been suffering physical damage, inconvenience and expense for
years.
The cross-border impact of the haze requires regional commitment
to solve. This weekend, Ministers meet at Pekanbaru for a discussion.
Will it be another meeting of good intentions?
While respecting the sovereignty of our neighbour Indonesia, the
Singapore government owes it to Singaporeans to adopt a greater
sense of urgency and firmness in working out effective solutions
to the haze problem. To this end, some milestones should be set,
such as:
a)Time line for ratification of the ASEAN Agreement by Indonesia;
b)Schedule and implementation plan from the Indonesian government
on prevention, detection and putting out of fires, including action
at the provincial / local levels;
c)Commitment from the Indonesian government to make necessary enhancements
to its domestic laws and concerted prosecution of perpetrators of
such fires, corporate or individual;
d)Contributions from ASEAN countries including Singapore to assist
Indonesia to achieve the above objectives.
Let us not have another futile meeting this weekend. How many more
years should Singaporeans endure the haze?
Sylvia Lim
SYLVIA LIM (Ms)
CHAIRMAN, WORKERS’ PARTY
Oct 13, 2006
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