Smoke from wildfires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan, Papua and Sumatra regions has drifted across the sea to Singapore and Malaysia, where residents have reported respiratory illnesses and headaches. The haze has persisted for weeks, longer than the episodes that have typically lasted only a few days, and is adding pressure on governments in both countries to respond without worsening relations with Jakarta.
The fires are an annual problem widely associated with large-scale land clearing for crops such as oil palm. This year, strong El Niño conditions have intensified drought in Indonesian forests and peatlands, making the blazes harder to control.
Public frustration has become particularly visible in Malaysia, where some residents have begun boycotting Indonesian products. Lawmaker Syed Saddiq has called for sanctions on companies linked to the fires. In Singapore, residents have criticised the government’s response, with some arguing that it should have acted more decisively after warnings about severe El Niño conditions.
Singapore says it has established hundreds of haze shelters, distributed masks to children, older people and other vulnerable residents, and is considering stronger legislation. Authorities are also investigating 10 Singapore-registered companies over possible links to the fires.
The diplomatic response has been delicate. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta last week. The two countries also announced a joint task force to address the haze, after weeks of tensions.
Those tensions sharpened after an Indonesian official said the fires were beyond human control and that Singapore and Malaysia also received oxygen from Indonesian forests. Singapore Senior Minister K Shanmugam called the remarks disappointing, saying the haze was seriously affecting people’s health and that both countries should work together on the problem.
Indonesia later announced a reduction in gas exports to Singapore, citing domestic energy needs. Singapore said the cut represented less than 2% of its daily demand and would have little effect on supply. The announcement followed warnings from Indonesia’s energy minister that exports could be halted to countries that did not respect Indonesia, while Prabowo referred to countries that insulted his country.
Malaysia has taken a more restrained public position. Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan has ruled out a formal diplomatic protest or legal action, saying that could risk severing relations. Malaysia and Indonesia are instead exploring a memorandum of understanding on wildfire prevention, alongside regional mechanisms such as the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
The agreement, in force since 2003, commits members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to cooperate on recurring haze. Critics say it lacks the power to punish companies linked to fires or compel governments to act. Asean first set a goal of eliminating regional haze by 2020; after that deadline passed, it set 2030 as a new target.
Malaysia’s position is also complicated by its own role as a major palm oil producer, a commodity associated with commercial slash-and-burn practices. Analysts say the haze is likely to recur while those practices continue, while Malaysia is wary of provoking Indonesia. Its government has opted for diplomacy as the region waits for the winds to change.
Sources: BBC News World.