S'pore concerned for environment

We refer to Carl Chairul's article in the Oct. 31, 1994 issue of The Jakarta Post entitled Singapore's complaint. Mr. Chairul's letter had suggested that while Singapore complains of the haze, Singapore had not shown a similar level of concern for other issues such illegal dumping, illegal mining and destruction of mangroves.

Environmental issues raised by Mr. Chairul should be the concern of all countries and are certainly of deep concern to the Singapore Government.

The Singapore Government reiterates that it does not condone any illegal affront to the environment in Singapore or outside and will take appropriate legal action if its own laws are breached.

Singapore has no jurisdiction over illegal activities carried out in other countries. The Singapore Ministry of the Environment had however always provided full assistance and cooperation to BAPEDAL in investigating cases such as illegal dumping and transboundary movement of wastes in Indonesia.

The wrongdoings raised by Mr. Chairul were committed by private sector individuals and demonstrates the need for vigilance and strict enforcement. A fuller account of the "tug boats" case mentioned by Mr. Chairul illustrates this.

This involved a consignment of food from Italy on board the ship "Tashkent." A Hong Kong company responsible for selling the food consignment had engaged a Singapore company to arrange for the disposal of some of the consignment that was damaged. The damaged food comprised tomato sauce, pickled vegetables and tinned fruits. The cargo of damaged food was off-loaded from the "Tashkent" in international waters (outside Singapore) before it entered Singapore.

An Indonesian contractor was engaged to carry out the disposal. One of the terms of the disposal contract had been for the Indonesian contractor to comply with relevant laws in the country of disposal. The tugboat and barge carrying the damaged food were handed over to the Indonesian contractor who was to have carried out the disposal legally and return the vessels. It did not.

The Indonesian contractor was subsequently arrested by the Indonesian authorities and the tugboat and barge were held by the Indonesian courts as evidence during the trial against the Indonesian contractor.

Singapore and Indonesia agreed to set up a Indonesia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment to look into such matters of mutual interest. The first meeting of this committee was convened by Singapore. The second meeting which will be convened by Indonesia will be held in early 1995.

AJIT SINGH

First Secretary

Embassy of the

Republic of Singapore