Haze: What next?

Despite official pledges to combat the haze, our forest fires are still raging uncontrollably and the smoke is seriously disturbing our neighboring countries. Malaysia has declared a state of emergency and its eastern state of Sarawak closed its schools yesterday after smoky haze choked the area. In Singapore on Thursday air pollution readings hit the worst level ever as the haze condition worsened.

Indonesia is suffering no less. At least 50,000 people in Riau province, the worst hit area in Sumatra, may be evacuated due to the worsening haze.

However, Indonesia has one more thing to save: its image. Since the same disaster has been happening since 1994 and ours is the only country where forestry companies are using slash-and- burn techniques in their clearing activities, its failure to stop the repetition of such irresponsible action is beyond comprehension to any thinking people, here or abroad.

And now the damage has been done, President Soeharto has offered Indonesia's most sincere apologies to our affected neighbors. To show that it's serious, 15 forestry companies have had their licenses revoked and 50 others have been sternly warned. Indonesia has also begun seeding clouds over Sumatra to cut the choking pollution. Reports state that more than 300,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed by fire.

Indonesia is still lucky to have Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, all of which have been enveloped by the smog and suffered health, navigation and other problems, as its neighbors. Had there been other countries in the region, reactions could have been more demanding and unpleasant.

To date, only the Malaysian opposition leader has bluntly said that Soeharto's apology is not enough and that it is the first time that Indonesia has admitted responsibility for the haze whereas in the past it had avoided talking about the subject.

He may be wrong, but we need to understand that Kuala Lumpur is not only concerned with its current pains, but is also looking ahead to next year when it will host the Commonwealth Games.

Kuala Lumpur has been working hard to prepare a successful Games in September next year. To make the international sports event a success, its efforts include building modern facilities, such as an impressive stadium to rival that in Abu Dhabi. Now it has to work under the shadow of a smog umbrella, which nobody can guarantee will not reoccur next year.

Jakarta can do something to help the situation. Its apology and pledges to act are understood abroad to show its seriousness to work hard to avoid such a disaster from repeating in 1998. It needs to show the world that the forestry companies, who have played an important role in the disaster, do not rule the country, the government does.

The government, therefore, should teach the companies a hard lesson this year. Show them that crime does not pay and there is equal justice under law. We can't exactly tell our neighbors to put the haze in their pipe and smoke it.

Another failure would prove costly for Indonesia as it would show the world that we lack the political will to address the problem seriously.