JUNE 25 — Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya does not seem to think that the haze problem is his responsibility and instead, he points his finger at eight Malaysian-owned companies. He publicly named them and claimed that these companies are the culprits causing the haze.

However, we wonder why the so-call "culprits" on the name list released by the Indonesian Environment Ministry are all Malaysian-owned companies, while a senior officer responsible for forest fire control said that local farmers should be responsible?

Balthasar said that 14 more companies are still under investigation and we hope that he can expose all involved companies instead of selectively naming only foreign companies and turn a blind eye to local companies or individuals.

Of course, we should not blame them without evidence. Just as Indonesian Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said, there should be evidence to support the allegations against big companies.

Two named companies have clarified that there are no fires in any of their operating areas in Indonesia. Sime Darby Plantation said in a statement that the total concession area of its subsidiary PT Tunggal Mitra Plantation (PT TMP) was 13,836ha, with 2,474ha occupied by local communities, and the PT TMP is unable to exert control over activities beyond its operating areas.

The senior officer responsible for forest fire control also admitted that the forest fires went beyond control after local farmers set fires to clear their lands and the fires spread to the operating areas of big companies. Therefore, big companies should not be blamed and local farmers are the true culprits.

However, if the named Malaysian-owned companies are really involved in causing the forest fires, we should not cover them. If the evidence is conclusive, the Indonesian government should take immediate action and let them face legal sanctions.

I am not sure whether there are laws to deal with Malaysian companies violating laws abroad. Even if we do not have, our government should make a clear stand like Singapore, that action will be taken against companies found to have involved in forest fires in Indonesia. We should at least exert public opinion and commercial pressures on these companies.

As many people know, slash-and-burn land clearance is a traditional farming method adopted by local farmers and even some big companies in Indonesia, as it is the cheapest way to clear land and the land will become naturally fertilised after burning. It saves time, effort and money. The problem is, these lands are mostly peat and once on fire, the fire will continue to smoulder underground for as short as a few days or as long as a few months. It would be difficult to be put out, resulting in heavy haze.

Indonesia has the right to publicly name the companies involved. In fact, it can also be regarded as an act of pressuring. As its affected neighbour, in addition to protesting and sending teams to help putting out the forest fires, shouldn't we take the initiative to make laws to deal with those involved, such as banning the import of related products or adopting a Singapore's professor proposal to provide that all imported palm oil products like bread, soap and shower gel must prove that its production and raw materials are not from companies involved in land-clearing burning activities?

The forests are still burning and the country is still blanketed by haze. The government should act immediately as acting slow would only lead to greater resentment and eventually further tarnish its image. — mysinchew.com

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.