‘We send oxygen to Singapore and Malaysia when there’s no smoke from our forests’ — Indonesia’s communications agency chief comes under fire for haze crisis remark: ‘It’s a natural phenomenon, not human error’
Summary Syahganda Nainggolan, chief of Indonesia’s government communications agency, came under fire over his remarks about forest fires and haze affecting neighbouring countries. Syahganda said Indonesia’s forests supplied oxygen to Singapore and Malaysia when there were no fires and described the haze as a natural phenomenon rather than human error. Malaysia has closed schools due to the haze,…
Indonesia's government communications chief, Syahganda Nainggolan, has faced backlash for his remarks on the haze crisis in neighboring countries. He stated that Indonesia's forests naturally provide oxygen to Singapore and Malaysia when there are no fires, and that the haze is a natural phenomenon rather than a result of human error.
This statement sparked criticism as Malaysia has been battling severe haze caused by Indonesian forest fires, leading to school closures, air quality concerns, and calls for stronger regional action. Malaysian politicians have demanded greater accountability from Indonesia, with some even suggesting that the country might face regional isolation if it fails to control the fires.
Malaysia's government has offered firefighting assistance and called for an urgent ASEAN meeting to address the crisis. While Indonesia's forest fires are a recurring problem during the annual dry season, this year's strong El Niño cycle has exacerbated the situation, contributing to widespread smoke and pollution across Southeast Asia.
Written by urgent.news from The Independent Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
