Thousands battle Indonesian fires, but no progress on haze

Office workers wearing masks walk during lunch hour at the central business district in Singapore Sept 29. Slash-and-burn agriculture in neighbouring Indonesia has blanketed Singapore in a choking haze for weeks. (Reuters photo)

PEKANBARU, INDONESIA -- The government has dispatched nearly 21,000 personnel to fight forest fires raging in its northern islands, the disaster management agency said on Tuesday, but smoke cloaks much of the region with pollution readings in the "very unhealthy" region in neighbouring Singapore.

Slash-and-burn agriculture has blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia in a choking "haze" for weeks, pushing up pollution levels and disrupting flights, as it does every year. Indonesian efforts to halt the seasonal clearances have failed.

More than 135,000 Indonesians were reported to be suffering fromrespiratory diseases, the disaster agency said in a statement.

Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers (right) and the Kuala Lumpur Tower (behind centre) are obscured by haze in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 29. (AFP photo)

"Looking at the current situation, it essential for us to extend the period of state of emergency due to haze for another 14 days," said Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, acting governor of Riau province, one of the worst-hit areas. "Our focus will remain on monitoring the health of our people."

Schools in parts of Malaysia were ordered closed for a second day on Tuesday and Singaporean commuters were wearing masks as they have for much of the last two weeks.

Indonesia has faced criticism for turning down offers of help from Singapore, even as it struggles to contain fires that have been exacerbated by a prolonged dry season.

Indonesian officials, including Vice President Jusuf Kalla, have repeatedly said they have enough resources to handle the crisis, with Mr Kalla adding that neighbouring countries should be grateful for clean air provided by Indonesia's rainforests outside the haze season.

Mr Kalla this week toned down his earlier comments and said Indonesia was open to foreign assistance, according to media.

President Joko Widodo last week visited Central Kalimantan and called for urgent action including building canals to irrigate parched peatlands where fires can be harder to put out, media reported.

The Indonesian government has launched investigations of more than 200 companies and taken legal action against just four.

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Ribuan pertempuran kebakaran hutan di Indonesia, tetapi tidak ada kemajuan kabut

Pekerja kantor memakai masker berjalan selama jam makan siang di daerah pusat bisnis di Singapura September 29. Slash-dan-bakar pertanian di negara tetangga Indonesia telah menyelimuti Singapura dalam kabut tersedak selama berminggu-minggu. (Reuters foto)

PEKANBARU, INDONESIA - Pemerintah telah mengirimkan hampir 21.000 personil untuk memerangi kebakaran hutan berkecamuk di pulau utara, badan penanggulangan bencana, Selasa, tapi jubah asap banyak wilayah dengan pembacaan polusi dalam "sangat tidak sehat" wilayah di negara tetangga Singapura .

Slash-dan-bakar pertanian telah menyelimuti Singapura, Malaysia dan Indonesia bagian utara dalam tersedak "kabut" selama berminggu-minggu, mendorong tingkat polusi dan mengganggu penerbangan, seperti halnya setiap tahun. Upaya Indonesia untuk menghentikan izin musiman telah gagal.

Lebih dari 135.000 orang Indonesia dilaporkan menderita penyakit fromrespiratory, badan bencana mengatakan dalam sebuah pernyataan.

Landmark Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia (kanan) dan Kuala Lumpur Tower (belakang pusat) dikaburkan oleh kabut di Kuala Lumpur pada September 29. (AFP foto)

"Melihat situasi saat ini, penting bagi kita untuk memperpanjang masa keadaan darurat karena kabut selama 14 hari," kata Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, bertindak gubernur provinsi Riau, salah satu daerah yang paling parah. "Fokus kami akan tetap pada pemantauan kesehatan rakyat kita."

Sekolah-sekolah di wilayah Malaysia diperintahkan ditutup untuk hari kedua pada hari Selasa dan komuter Singapura memakai masker karena mereka memiliki untuk banyak dua minggu terakhir.

Indonesia telah menghadapi kritik untuk menolak tawaran bantuan dari Singapura, bahkan karena perjuangan untuk mengandung kebakaran yang telah diperburuk oleh musim kemarau berkepanjangan.

Pejabat Indonesia, termasuk Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla, telah berulang kali mengatakan mereka memiliki sumber daya yang cukup untuk menangani krisis, dengan Mr Kalla menambahkan bahwa negara-negara tetangga harus bersyukur atas udara bersih yang disediakan oleh hutan hujan Indonesia di luar musim kabut.

Mr Kalla pekan ini melunakkan komentar sebelumnya dan mengatakan Indonesia terbuka untuk bantuan asing, menurut media.

Presiden Joko Widodo pekan lalu mengunjungi Kalimantan Tengah dan menyerukan tindakan mendesak adalah pembangunan kanal untuk mengairi lahan gambut yang kering di mana kebakaran bisa lebih sulit untuk memadamkan, media melaporkan.

Pemerintah Indonesia telah meluncurkan penyelidikan lebih dari 200 perusahaan dan mengambil tindakan hukum terhadap empat.

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