Indonesia Wildfires Prompt Prabowo to Accept Foreign Assistance Amid Natural Disasters
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved foreign assistance to tackle ongoing forest and peatland fires that have caused severe transboundary haze affecting Singapore, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries amid natural disasters. Singapore is investigating which companies are responsible for the haze-causing fires in Indonesia and may take legal action under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. [1] Singapore's air quality deteriorated sharply with the hourly PM2.5 reading reaching 288 and the 24-hour PSI peaking at 212, the highest levels recorded in years. [1] Thick smoke from the fires has turned skies in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, an apocalyptic orange, reducing visibility to a few dozen metres and blanketing Singapore's skyline. [3] Indonesia has deployed about 60,000 personnel to fight fires across six provinces, with the new BNPB chief tasked to contain the wildfires as soon as possible. [5] Singapore has offered assistance to Indonesia, which is now at the technical discussion stage involving BNPB, while Malaysia has chosen not to pursue legal action to preserve bilateral ties. [1] [5]
Prabowo Approves Foreign Aid for Indonesia Wildfires
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved foreign assistance to tackle forest and land fires that have worsened the regional haze crisis, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said on Thursday (Oct 15), according to local media reports. [5] Arrmanatha said discussions on assistance from neighbouring countries have entered the technical stage, involving Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). [5] He did not specify which countries had offered assistance or what form the assistance would take. [5] “The president has also given his approval, and discussions are now underway at the technical level. In this case, the technical discussions are being handled by BNPB,” he said at a closed-door meeting, as quoted by local news outlet Kompas. [5] The foreign minister said that tackling forest and land fires is a serious concern for Prabowo. [5] “What we need to emphasise is that this is a matter of great seriousness and is receiving the President’s direct attention. As we all know, the President has issued very clear instructions and directives,” he added. [5] The Indonesian government has deployed approximately 60,000 people to tackle forest and land fires across six provinces, Arrmanatha said. [5] Separately, newly appointed BNPB chief Kristomei Sianturi said on Thursday that he has been tasked with containing the wildfires “as soon as possible”. [5] "I will assess our assets and see what kind of foreign aid we can accelerate," Sianturi said after his inauguration. [5] BNPB, which coordinates disaster response efforts in Indonesia, is the main body in charge of current firefighting operations. [5]
Singapore Investigates Companies Behind Haze
Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that have caused the worsening haze, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (Oct 15). [1] "Where warranted, we will take action under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, and explore joint action with other countries," he said in a social media post. [1] The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which came into force in September 2014, allows authorities to take legal action against companies responsible for causing or contributing to haze pollution in Singapore, even if their activities take place overseas. [1] Mr Wong noted that the haze situation is worsened by the extended dry period. [1] Singapore has offered its assistance to Indonesia and will continue working closely with the country and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) partners to address the issue, he said. [1] Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Wednesday that Singapore was keeping its options open on taking action under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act as it collects and reviews data on the haze situation. [1] Ms Fu also expressed hope that Indonesia would be able to bring the fires under control despite challenging weather conditions, adding that Singapore's offer to help remained open. [1] "Our offer to help remains there, and we're very happy to discuss with our counterparts if they so wish," she said. [1]
Thick orange smoke from Indonesian wildfires blankets Palangkaraya skies in Central Kalimantan. — Source: africanews
Record Pollution Levels Hit Singapore
Singapore's air quality deteriorated sharply on Wednesday, with the hourly PM2.5 reading in the west reaching 288 at 3pm – the highest recorded in Singapore since 2015. [1] The 24-hour PSI also peaked at 212 in the west on Thursday - a new high for Singapore this year. [1] N95 and equivalent masks are being distributed to vulnerable Singaporeans, while air-conditioned shelters are being made available at community clubs and selected residents’ network and residents’ committee centres. [1] "We will ensure support is available to those who need it," Mr Wong said. [1] "We cannot control the weather or winds, or what happens beyond our borders. But we will do everything we can to protect Singaporeans, while working with our neighbours to address the haze’s underlying causes," he added. [1]
Apocalyptic Orange Skies in Indonesia and Beyond
Thick smoke from wildfires in Indonesia turned the skies over Palangkaraya a striking yellow and orange on Thursday 15 October, reducing visibility to just a few dozen metres. [3] Aerial footage shows the capital of Central Kalimantan province almost disappearing beneath the haze, with the Talawang roundabout and a nearby statue barely visible. [3] Hundreds of kilometres away, Singapore was also blanketed in smoke, leaving its iconic Marina Bay Sands complex almost indistinguishable against the skyline. [3] Roads, bridges and passing vehicles were shrouded in the dense haze. [3] The pollution comes from fires that have been burning across Indonesia for months, sending vast clouds of smoke beyond the country's borders. [3] The haze has also spread to Malaysia, the Philippines and East Timor, raising concerns about air quality across Southeast Asia. [3] In East Timor, authorities have ordered schools to close for three days because of the smoke. [3] The scenes in Palangkaraya and Singapore illustrate the scale of a regional pollution crisis that continues to affect daily life far beyond the areas directly threatened by the fires. [3]
Regional Responses from Malaysia and Singapore
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that his government has done its utmost to engage Indonesia in addressing the worsening regional haze. [5] “We have done everything we can,” Anwar said on Thursday, as quoted by Malay Mail. [5] Malaysia has no plans to send a diplomatic note or take legal action against Indonesia over the transboundary haze currently affecting the country, said foreign minister Mohamad Hasan. [5] "We need to safeguard the close relationship between the two countries. So, we are not going as far as sending a diplomatic note or taking legal action," he told reporters on Thursday, as quoted by the New Straits Times (NST). [5] "It is easy to say so in parliament, but if we were to do that, it would mean we were prepared to sever diplomatic ties." [5] Mohamad Hasan was responding to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's call in parliament for the government to take action against Indonesia, including lodging a diplomatic protest over open burning in the country that has contributed to the haze. [5] Meanwhile in Singapore, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Saturday that the government was prepared to help Indonesia in fighting forest fires wherever necessary. [5]
Ongoing Challenges for Firefighting Efforts
The haze situation is worsened by the extended dry period. [1] Singapore has offered its assistance to Indonesia and will continue working closely with the country and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) partners to address the issue. [1] Ms Fu also expressed hope that Indonesia would be able to bring the fires under control despite challenging weather conditions. [1] The comments by the Indonesian government come as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that his government has done its utmost to engage Indonesia in addressing the worsening regional haze. [5] BNPB, which coordinates disaster response efforts in Indonesia, is the main body in charge of current firefighting operations. [5]
What to watch next: Singapore will continue working closely with Indonesia and other ASEAN partners to address the issue while keeping options open on taking action under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act as it collects and reviews data.
