‘Perpetuating stupidity’: Indonesia comes under fire for response to burning and haze
JAKARTA — Indonesia is facing growing criticism over its response to a forest and land fire crisis that has sent choking haze billowing into neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, but officials insist the government is not to blame. The president has claimed that a drawdown in firefighting efforts means the number of fires has gone down, […]
Indonesia is facing mounting criticism over its handling of a forest and land fire crisis, which has resulted in a toxic haze drifting into neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. The government maintains that it is not responsible for the current situation, with President Joko Widodo claiming that reduced firefighting efforts have led to a decrease in the number of fires.
A spokesperson for the president even argued that the countries suffering from the haze should be grateful for the oxygen provided by Indonesia's forests and stop complaining about receiving "smoke."
However, Malaysia has yet to receive a response to its offer of assistance in combating the fires, while Singapore has suggested the possibility of legal action against any Singapore-linked companies responsible for the burning. While Indonesian officials have acknowledged the impact of the fires on their neighbors, they have not issued a formal apology as of October 16.
Instead, Syahganda Nainggolan, the head of the government communications office, suggested that the problem stems from "beyond human error" and is "truly nature."
He echoed the sentiments of previous administrations during similar crises, stating that Indonesia does not simply emit smoke; when there is no smoke, it sends oxygen. This remark has drawn criticism in Malaysia, where Andrew Chen Kah Eng, a politician from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's office, dismissed it as an inadequate response to the crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
