Singapore and Indonesia plan joint task force on firms linked to forest fire haze

Centre · 2Singapore and Indonesia said on Tuesday 27 October that they will set up a joint task force to tackle the forest fires that cause transboundary haze, with a focus on companies linked to the fires. 1 2 Centre · 2The announcement came at a joint press conference in Jakarta during a visit by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, after a two-hour meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir. 1 2 Centre · 2Arrmanatha said the task force would link information sharing, financial intelligence and cross-border evidence gathering, and where possible asset recovery, adding that Singapore had offered to share data on companies linked to the fires. 1 2

Centre · 2Balakrishnan said Singapore agreed to the task force and that the countries were "putting all the companies on notice"; he expected a "deterrence impact". Reuters reported he vowed to crack down on Singapore-registered companies found responsible. 1 2 Centre · 1Both sides will also set up a hotline at ministerial and senior-official levels to handle differences in bilateral issues, Arrmanatha said. 1 Centre · 1Both ministers said the first victims of the haze were Indonesians, and Balakrishnan said Singapore stands in solidarity with Indonesia. 2

Centre · 2The talks followed weeks of tension. Singapore has had stretches of unhealthy air since 4 September, and Reuters described Indonesia's fires as its most intense in 11 years, causing a spike in respiratory illness in Indonesia and smoke in Singapore, Malaysia and East Timor. 1 2 Centre · 2Last week Singapore announced a specialist panel of law, audit and investigative firms to probe companies that may have contributed to the fires, and the National Environment Agency issued notices to 10 Singapore-based firms, its first use of that power since the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act took effect. Indonesia has previously launched criminal investigations into companies linked to the fires. 1 2 Centre · 1Other frictions surround the talks. Indonesia's Government Communications Agency head Syahganda Nainggolan said earlier this month that Indonesia sends oxygen when there is no haze, and Singapore Senior Minister K Shanmugam expressed disappointment on 19 October while welcoming President Prabowo Subianto's efforts. 1

Centre · 1Reuters noted neither minister mentioned Jakarta's cut of pipeline gas to Singapore by about 8 per cent, which Indonesia said safeguards domestic supply. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he expected contract signatories to "honour their commitments", and Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said supply met the contractual minimum. 2