Indonesia Says Eight Out Of 10 Firms Responsible For Haze Are Malaysian

SMOKE AND CHOKE

Indonesia Says Eight Out Of 10 Plantations Responsible For Haze Are Malaysian

"We have identified that eight of the ten plantation firms who have conducted illegal land-clearing activities (using fire) are from Malaysia," forestry ministry spokesman Masyud told AFP.

Jakarta (AFP) Aug 15, 2005
Malaysian companies which own Indonesian plantations were mainly to blame for the choking haze which blanketed parts of Malaysia last week, an Indonesian official said Monday.

The clouds of smoke and dust from the hundreds of fires still blazing in Indonesia's Sumatra island forced a state of emergency to be declared in two Malaysian coastal towns, but the measure was lifted as rain and shifting winds brought a reprieve Saturday.

Forecasters have warned however that a shift in the winds could bring the pollution right back to peninsular Malaysia.

"We have identified that eight of the ten plantation firms who have conducted illegal land-clearing activities (using fire) are from Malaysia," forestry ministry spokesman Masyud told AFP.

The ministry was examining the backgrounds of the companies which will be submitted to police, he said, adding that their officials could face up to 15 years in jail if found guilty of illegal land-clearing.

Indonesian forestry minister Malam Sambat Kaban is due to hold talks with Malaysian environment minister Adenan Satem on Tuesday in Jakarta, he said.

"One of the topics to be discussed tomorrow is Malaysia's participation in the cloud-seeding process, planned for August 22, to halt the blazes in Riau, North Sumatra and Kalimantan provinces," he said.

Malaysia on Monday deployed 125 firefighters, equipped with heavy-duty pumps and all-terrain vehicles, to battle the blazes. The same team fought fires in Indonesia during the 1997-98 haze which blighted parts of Southeast Asia.

That crisis cost the region an estimated 9.0 billion dollars in damages by disrupting air travel and other business activities.

Australia also announced Monday it would send a dozen bush firefighting experts to Indonesia after it requested assistance.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has pledged to take firm action against those responsible for the fires.

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SMOKE AND CHOKE

Malaysia Declares State Of Emergency As Haze Crisis Deepens

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Aug 11, 2005
Malaysia declared a state of emergency in towns on its west coast Thursday as smoke from forest fires raging in Indonesia smothered parts of the country, pushing pollution levels dangerously high.

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