Singapore Minister Condemns Indonesia over Land Fire Haze

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The thick haze coming from Indonesia's burning forests had engulfed Singaporeans with rage. The neighbor city-country has been forced to close schools as the level of pollution has reached an alarming level; posing danger to school children.

Fast food restaurants including McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut have stopped their food delivery services since Thursday, concerned that the polluted air would endanger the health of their delivery men.

On Friday morning, September 25, the Pollution Standards Index (PSI) in Singapore reached 341, the highest level for this year.

The BBC reported that Singapore's Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam Sc is blaming the Indonesian government for the situation. "Indonesia has shown complete disregard for our people, and their own," Minister Shanmugam said as quoted by the BBC.

Shanmugam also took to his Facebook page to express his anger. He wrote that "we are hearing some shocking statements made, at senior levels, from Indonesia, with a complete disregard for our people, and their own – PSI levels in parts of Indonesia are at almost 2,000 (PSI above 350 is considered hazardous in Indonesia)."

"How is it possible for senior people in government to issue such statements, without any regard for their people, or ours, and without any embarrassment, or sense of responsibility?" the post also says.

Shanmugam did not name the official, but as reported by the BBC, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla is said to have angered a number of parties in recent weeks, saying that Indonesian neighbors should be grateful for the air quality during the 11 months before the fire and smoke began.

The forest fires in Indonesia are allegedly done by unscrupulous companies and individuals to clear land for oil palm and rubber plantations. The yearly problem has caused harmful pollution levels across the region for weeks.  

The Indonesian government has repeatedly said they will put a stop to the illegal forest burning, with President Joko Widodo sending military forces to put out fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The president had also announced that the authorities are investigating 27 companies allegedly involved in the fire.

BBC| MECHOS DE LAROCHA