Why Singapore and Malaysia should be blamed as well for the haze

Just like the words of wisdom spouted by 2015 General Election MVP Choong Hon Heng, when you point a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you. Singaporeans and Malaysians alike grumbling about the haze should know that the irresponsible companies behind the annual inferno in Sumatra are actually owned by their fellow countrymen.

“About 50 percent of palm oil companies operating in Indonesia are owned by Malaysians and Singaporeans,” remarked Bogor Agricultural University professor Herry Purnomo to The Jakarta Post — a fact that we’ve explored when we travelled to Sumatra for an extensive investigation into the haze.

The slash-and-burn technique practiced by various palm oil companies have been the cause of annual hazy conditions faced by Indonesia, wrecking collateral damage upon Singapore and Malaysia as well. According to Herry, the cost of mechanized land clearing is far more costly than simply razing down forests and plantations.

Folks may have it bad here and in Malaysia, but things are far more worse in Indonesia itself. A state of emergency was recently declared in Riau province, where Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) have surged to 984. 22,855 residents in South Sumatra, 40,000 residents in South Kalimantan and 15,000 residents in Riau Province are reportedly down with upper respiratory infections according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency.

Aside from the thousands upon thousands of casualties, Indonesia is estimated to suffer $4 billion in losses this year in agriculture production, health, transportation, tourism and other economic undertakings.

It should indeed be sobering to know that Singapore does play a pretty meaty role in the whole haze issue. Herry calls out for both Singapore and Malaysia to be more responsible in dealing with forest fires by way of issuing regulations and enforcement for their own citizen’ companies running in Indonesia.

Perhaps this is why Indonesia has largely been pretty belligerent when Singaporeans and their government complains about the haze — we’re the ones who had a hand in it in the first place.

Photo: Ilyas Sholihyn