Indonesian Foreign Minister on haze issue: Let’s not lay blame on each other

[UPDATED Thursday 20 June, 15:24pm: Adding Indonesian Coordinating Minister's quotes]

The way forward and out of the haze situation is to work together to solve the issue, rather than lay blame on each other, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

“The approach must be one of collaboration and partnership, not one of apportioning blame here and there. Let’s focus on putting the fires out,” he was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Post in a Thursday story headlined “RI dodges haze blame game”. 

Late on Wednesday, Singapore Environment Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan urged Indonesia to “do the right thing”, with a Singapore delegation set to meet Indonesian officials in Jakarta for an emergency meeting on Thursday.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and several Cabinet members had also upped the pressure on Indonesia to take control of the haze situation earlier this week. Indonesia has also been asked to provide data and details of the plantation firms that employ the slash-and-burn methods in the hotspot areas of the Riau province in Sumatra.

Commenting on the requests, Marty said: “Calls of such a type are actually a bit redundant, in the sense that we in Indonesia, the government and our people, want those responsible to be held accountable.”

“There is actually no need for such a demand. We are fully aware of the impact and consequences and the need for action,” he said.

Marty added that similar situations have occurred in other countries.

“Recently, we have seen a number of forest fires in the US and Australia. When those broke out, I think the first instinct was to express sympathy and solidarity, rather than wanting to blame somebody.”

In a separate press conference on Thursday, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said that "Singapore shouldn't be like children, in such a tizzy".

"Indonesian citizens also need to be looked after, there are hundreds," said the minister in charge of the country's haze relief and response efforts, as quoted in The Straits Times.

Separately, Indonesia Forestry Ministry secretary-general Hadi Daryanto expressed the ministry’s readiness to partner Singapore to trace the firms behind the fires in Riau.

“We are keen to join with neighboring countries to identify the perpetrators; and the sanctions imposed will be imprisonment, fines and permit revocations,” Hadi said.

However, he added, as a number of companies operating in the area are from Singapore and Malaysia, the two countries also need to cooperate in helping them track down and prevent future blazes.

On Wednesday, the Indonesian government said fires in at least 22 locations across Sumatra’s Riau province were responsible for the haze affecting local residents as well as neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

The PSI reading in Singapore hit an all-time high of 321 on Wednesday, breaching the “hazardous” level. It broke the previous high of 226 in September 1997.

Dr Balakrishnan on Wednesday said the haze in Singapore had reached “crisis” levels.

"Only rain and sudden wind changes will improve the situation, but chances of it happening are slim," he admitted. "But we must not get fixated on numbers."

"Things will get worse before getting better."

Related stories:
PM Lee, ministers up pressure on Indonesia to tackle haze
Singapore haze reaches 'hazardous' level
Demand for face masks, air purifiers grows as haze worsens in Singapore