N環球 
Singapore and Indonesia set up joint task force on toxic haze; Singapore minister to meet Prabowo on Wednesday afternoon
Singapore and Indonesia agreed after talks on October 27 to set up a joint task force to strengthen enforcement against illegal land burning, with Singapore offering to share information on companies potentially linked to the fires; Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan is due to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on the afternoon of October 28, as the fires are described as the country's worst in 11 years.
Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to set up a joint task force to strengthen enforcement against illegal land burning behind the toxic haze crossing borders. The agreement was reached on Tuesday during talks in Jakarta between Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir: Singapore also offered to share information about companies potentially linked to the fires, to help investigators trace cross-border business connections and identify those responsible.
Enforcement already under way in Indonesia
Indonesia has said that hundreds of individuals and more than 50 companies have faced legal proceedings related to forest fires, with some convicted. Land is often burned to clear areas for farming, and unusually hot and dry conditions have made this year's fires particularly severe, with smoke drifting from Sumatra toward Singapore and raising concerns about public health and air quality. The fires have been described as the country's worst in 11 years.
A presidential meeting still to come on Wednesday
The minister's visit is not over yet: Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said Balakrishnan arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday morning and requested a meeting with the president, and that President Prabowo Subianto will receive him briefly on Wednesday afternoon. The meeting's location and detailed agenda have not been disclosed. The visit also comes amid tensions over gas: Indonesia has said supply will instead be redirected to domestic needs, particularly electricity generation, including moving gas from Natuna to Batam.
This site previously reported the preview of this ministerial visit; the joint task force is the new outcome of the October 27 talks. Singapore released investigation findings last week that allegedly implicated 10 Indonesian companies in the fires, and Singapore is considering strengthening its transboundary haze laws to hold linked parties accountable.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!