S'pore concerned for environment

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