Indonesian politician asks Malaysia & Singapore to help prevent haze

Indonesian lawmaker Marwan Dasopang recently urged Singapore and Malaysia to aid in preventing the fires that have caused haze in his country, threatening to cross borders, with southern and southeastern winds carrying the smoke toward Singapore. Marwan, who chairs the House of Representatives’ Commission VIII overseeing religious and social affairs, argued that instead of merely complaining, Indonesia's neighbors should take action through fire prevention and management.

He pointed out that Singaporeans and Malaysians also own and operate oil palm plantations in Indonesia, and thus, they should not only protest but actively participate in prevention efforts. Marwan emphasized that Indonesia's vast territory makes controlling fires across Kalimantan a complex and difficult task. He called on individuals and companies from both countries to recognize their role in the issue, stating, "From a state-to-state perspective, we can apologise and ask for help, but in terms of activities on the ground, they also have a role there."

While haze is an ongoing issue, Indonesia has experienced a resurgence due to dry conditions, peat and forest fires. This year, there have been widespread fires, particularly in Kalimantan and parts of Sumatra. As of August 27, Indonesia's Forestry Ministry reported 717 high-confidence and 12,696 medium-confidence hotspots, with over 107,000 hectares burned in the first half of the year, exceeding the total for all of 2023.

Singapore's National Environment Agency reported that the regional hotspot and haze situation was relatively subdued, but warned that dry conditions could persist, and the risk of transboundary haze remained.