{
  "id": 13890986,
  "title": "Indonesian official roasted over 'oxygen' response to haze",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/indonesian-official-roasted-over-oxygen-response-to-haze",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-12T06:07:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1553658/indonesian-official-roasted-over-oxygen-response-haze"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jakarta, Indonesia: An Indonesian government official faced ridicule after asserting that the nation's forests provide oxygen to neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, despite frequent haze caused by its own forest and land fires. Syahganda Nainggolan, head of the Government Communications Agency, made the claim in a now widely shared video. He stated that when there is no smoke from Indonesia's fires, they send oxygen instead. The comment sparked widespread criticism on social media, with some users questioning the logic behind the statement and others comparing it to Malaysia being on Mars or a desert. The remarks were deemed insensitive and trivializing by critics, who emphasized the serious health impacts of the haze on people in Malaysia and Singapore. The haze has resulted in unhealthy air quality and school closures in several Malaysian states.",
  "summary": "JAKARTA: An Indonesian official has been mocked online after claiming the country’s forests supply oxygen to Malaysia and Singapore despite recurring haze from its own forest and land fires.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "‘We send oxygen when there’s no smoke’: Indonesian official brushes off haze criticism in Malaysia, Singapore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/we-send-oxygen-when-theres-no-smoke-indonesian-official-brushes-off",
        "published": "2026-10-12T02:44:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Football meme sparks boycott calls in Malaysia; Indonesian grooming brand apologises",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/football-meme-sparks-boycott-calls-in-malaysia-indonesian-grooming",
        "published": "2026-10-12T05:52:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Smokescreen politics? Malaysians mock Indonesian official’s ‘we send oxygen’ haze defence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/smokescreen-politics-malaysians-mock-indonesian-officials-we-send",
        "published": "2026-10-12T08:57:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}