BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Indonesia said yesterday that fires across giant rainforests which caused Southeast Asia’s worst air pollution crisis in years had been greatly reduced and were coming under control.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa gave the assessment after briefing his counterparts from neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, the two countries most affected by the toxic smoke.
“The situation is more positive,” Natalegawa told reporters after meeting Anifah Aman of Malaysia and Singapore’s K Shanmugam at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) annual gathering in Brunei.
He said the affected areas on Sumatra island had dropped to 4,081 hectares, about one quarter of the size from when the fires were at their peak this month.
“In other words, through a combination of efforts on the ground and from the air, in terms of seeding clouds and water bombing and propitious and friendly weather, I guess things are becoming more under control,” he said.
“But we must continue these efforts... this is a commitment by the Indonesian government to ensure that we address this problem.”
The so-called “haze” is an annual concern as traditional slash-and-burn farmers and modern corporate palm oil plantation companies burn Sumatra’s forests and peat lands to clear land for agricultural use.
However, this year has been the worst since 1997-1998, when haze caused an estimated $9bn in losses in economic activity across Southeast Asia.
Shanmugam, the Singaporean foreign minister, gave an upbeat assessment of the trilateral talks yesterday, describing the discussions as “extremely positive”.
The issue is expected to be further discussed when the annual Asean talks officially get under way today, ahead of wider Asia-Pacific meetings involving the United States, China, Russia and other heavyweights.
AFP
