Paying Indonesia for fresh air akin to bribery, being extorted

I refer to Ms Teh Hooi Ling’s commentary “One solution to the haze problem? Pay Indonesia for fresh air” (Oct 1). Indonesia doesn’t supply Singapore with fresh air; it is only polluting ours.

This is unlike Malaysia supplying us with water, for which we pay. What Ms Teh may be suggesting is to pay Indonesia so that it does not pollute our air. That is akin to succumbing to extortion or bribing the Indonesians not to burn their forests. Would that be moral?

We should not be suggesting this at a time when our old, our young and our sick are suffering from the unhealthy haze.