Soeharto apologizes to ASEAN members for haze

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto sincerely apologized to fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday for the choking effects of the haze caused by widespread forest fires in Indonesia.

Soeharto said the sheer vastness of Indonesia's forests and the scorching dry season had created insurmountable obstacles in efforts to put the fires under control.

"We are fully aware that these bush and forest fires have disrupted communications and created an adverse impact on all of us," he said during the opening of the seventh ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME).

"To the communities of neighboring countries who have been disturbed by the fires in our territory, Indonesia offers its most sincere apologies," the president said in humility.

He then expressed his gratitude to neighboring countries for their close cooperation to overcome the forest fires.

At least 300,000 hectares of forests, mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, have been destroyed by fires believed to be the worst in 50 years.

Soeharto last week ordered State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja to stop all land clearing activities which involved slash-and-burn techniques.

About 20 million people are in danger of respiratory problems due to the thick smoke from the fire.

Neighboring Malaysia and Singapore have also seen the haze rise to unhealthy levels.

Soeharto assured the ASEAN delegates attending the meeting that Indonesia was doing its utmost. "We ourselves have done our level best to prevent and overcome the ongoing forest fires raging in our country," Soeharto said.

Commenting on the apology, Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Law Hieng Ding said he appreciated and was "surprised" by Soeharto's "very sincere" remarks.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to work together to solve the problem," Law said before attending the AMME meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center yesterday.

Law also delivered yesterday a letter from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to Soeharto.

Indonesian officials refused to reveal the content of the letter saying only that it was related to the fires.

The severity of the fires prompted Indonesia on Monday to hastily move the venue of the environment meeting from Manado, North Sulawesi, to Jakarta.

The ASEAN delegates attending are Bruneian Minister of Development Pengiran Indera Wijaya, Laotian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Siene Saphangthong, Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Law Hieng Ding, Philippine Secretary Department of Environment and Natural Resources Victor O. Ramos, Singaporean Minister of Environment Yeo Ceow Tong, Thai Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment Kasem Snidvong, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Chu Tuan Nha. There was no Myanmarese minister present at the ceremony.

Separately, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas chaired a special meeting yesterday with 12 governors at the Bina Graha presidential office.

"We've decided that Central Kalimantan, Jambi, Riau, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and South Sumatra are the worst hit provinces," Azwar said.

Azwar said he had ordered the governors to set up 24-hour command posts in the 12 provinces.

However, during the meeting, Governor of Riau Soeripto complained that Malaysian companies were also responsible for the fires in his province.

"Two Malaysian companies, including PT Multi Gambut, were also involved in burning forests to open up their plantations," Soeripto claimed of the joint venture companies.

Reports from Kuala Lumpur said air pollution reached hazardous levels for the second straight day.

Smoke from the forest fires coupled with air pollution from cars and factories around Kuala Lumpur have been blamed for the severe haze there.

As reported by AFP, rainfall helped clear some of the haze but the air pollutant index remained at "very unhealthy" levels.

The index breached the 300 level -- the hazardous point -- in Gombak, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, but the worst reading of 344 was recorded in Nilai, a town in Negeri Sembilan state.

Respiratory problems have escalated due to suspended particles, while flights have been canceled or delayed in Malaysia and Singapore due to poor visibility. (prb/aan)