{
  "id": 15340273,
  "title": "‘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’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/we-send-oxygen-to-singapore-and-malaysia-when-theres-no-smoke-from",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T03:00:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Independent Singapore",
    "slug": "the-independent-singapore",
    "url": "https://theindependent.sg/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-erro"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "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,…",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysia facing severe haze from Indonesian forest fires, causing health and economic concerns",
    "Malaysia seeks urgent ASEAN meeting and firefighting assistance to tackle haze crisis"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Deflecting responsibility for forest fires onto natural phenomena risks deepening diplomatic tensions and inviting regional isolation as neighboring countries demand greater accountability for the recurring haze crisis.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Johor hotspots lead Malaysia’s haze tally as 25 localities record unhealthy air",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/johor-hotspots-lead-malaysias-haze-tally-as-25-localities-record",
        "published": "2026-10-18T00:04:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}