KL, RI slam world for lack of forest fire aid
KL, RI slam world for lack of forest fire aid
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysia and Indonesia attacked the
international community for failing to produce promised aid to
tackle forest fires which have stricken southeast Asia in recent
years.
"They (international community) have promised us (aid). But
nothing is forthcoming," Malaysian Information Minister Mohamed
Rahmat said.
"There is strong political will between us to tackle this
problem to the maximum so there won't be a repetition of the last
haze," he added, referring to choking smoke from forest fires
which has enveloped the region at different times since 1997.
Mohamed, Malaysia's national disaster relief and management
committee chairman, said the international community was only
"making a lot noise" when the haze crisis erupted in 1997.
"Don't just talk about it. Do something. They must show
genuine efforts. But nevertheless we believe it is our problem,"
he added.
Malaysian and Indonesian authorities met here to discuss
forest fires in Indonesia in an attempt to prevent a repeat of
the particularly bad 1997 haze.
The two-day meeting of the joint-committee was a follow-up to
an agreement reached by the two neighboring countries to jointly
tackle the problem.
Mohamed also gave an assurance the 1997 crisis would not recur
and vowed there would not be any bureaucratic obstacles between
the two countries to tackling the forest fires.
Malaysia and Indonesia are now prepared to fight any forest
fires together, he said.
"I want to make it clear both governments are ready to battle
forest fires or the haze. We are at maximum readiness to battle
fires," he said.
"In 1997, we were not ready. No joint-committees. But now we
have a common standard operation procedure."
Mohamed sought the assistance of the media not to "explode"
the issue of the hot spots as it may scare away tourists who
bring in much needed foreign exchange.
On Friday Malaysian officials would demonstrate airborne fire-
fighting capabilities using helicopters to their Indonesian
counterparts.
Indonesian disaster relief head Haryono Suyono added: "We are
together. No bureaucratic obstacles. The technical team will meet
whenever the need arises."
Haryono, coordinating minister for people's welfare and
poverty eradication, also appealed to the international community
for assistance.
Haryono also said Indonesia was prepared to tackle any forest
fires as it now had an early warning system to identify hot spots
and adopted two new measures.
The Indonesian government has roped in people living along
jungle fringes and provided land grants to universities to be
"eyes on the ground" to prevent forest fires.
Forest fires in parts of Indonesia have reached dangerous
levels in recent weeks, bringing hazy skies and worsening
pollution to Singapore and parts of Malaysia. Experts last week
detected more than 40 Indonesian fires billowing plumes of smoke
toward nearby Singapore.
Director General of Malaysia's Department of Environment
Rosnani Ibrahim said on Thursday that "quite a number" of fires
were also burning in the southern Malaysian state of Johor and in
Sarawak state near the cities of Miri and Sibu.
Indonesia, gripped by ongoing economic and political upheaval,
has come under mounting criticism for not doing enough to control
the fires. As the dry season approaches, the fires have raised
fears that the choking haze may be returning.