Up in smoke

How often we are reminded. How quickly we forget.Like a recurring bad dream that is cyclical in nature, nations in Southeast Asia are again clouded by thick haze from out-of- control wildfires in Indonesia.

Neighboring Malaysia has declared a state of emergency after the air pollution index rose to hazardous levels in its major cities. Already, reports are coming in of families exiting Kuala Lumpur to get away from the all-enveloping haze.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in North Sumatra fears that given predicted weather conditions, the fires could continue until the end of this month. The agency has found nearly 550 hot spots in plantations and forests in North Sumatra and Riau.

Given the size of this archipelago and the immenseness of its forests, the occurrence of such fires is inevitable. But the scale of the conflagrations over the past few years can only lead us to conclude that they are the consequence of environmental recklessness and bad management.

Too often the fires have been the result of land clearing by either farmers or speculators. While slash-and-burn agriculture is common among the indigenous populations, these fires can spread uncontrollably in dry conditions.

Since the major forests fires of 1997 and 1998, which created a region-wide crisis, various mechanisms and high profile meetings have been held to set up a joint mechanism to manage such catastrophes and provide early warning.

The repeated recurrence of fires proves that much of these efforts simply don't work, or more precisely, haven't been made to work.

Once the fires are out, the focus and resolve of governments, especially ours, seem to immediately dissipate.

It is sad to say that the series of much-touted initiatives has amounted to little more than grandstanding to temporarily appease those affected by the haze.

Given that the fires seem to occur in a cyclical manner -- during the hot dry season -- such dangers should be anticipated through stronger monitoring mechanisms.

Five hundred hot spots don't just appear overnight. A large number could have been prevented with the proper tools and commitment.

Meanwhile officials persist with the same old platitudes: "Better coordination is needed," or "We will discuss the matter with local officials."

These are not comforting words for the asthma sufferer who's coughing his lungs out, or the hawker whose business has plummeted because his customers dare not venture out.

Indonesian Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban was right to apologize to his Malaysian counterparts. This country is culpable of poisoning the people of Southeast Asia.

What's needed now is a progressive action plan and the allocation of resources in a way that is carried out irrespective of whether the fires are burning or not.

This country has gone through five governments since the major haze problem of the late 1990s, and there has been no improvement to date. The Indonesian government should be bold enough to admit its incompetence and concede that without international aid it will be unable to prevent or properly deal with wildfires in the future.