Indonesia turns down Singapore’s offer to help extinguish forest fires
JAKARTA — Indonesia has turned down an offer of military assistance from Singapore to extinguish wildfires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, with thick haze from the fires also severely affecting air quality in the city-state.
An officer from the local Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) attempts to extinguish a fire in Sei Rambutan, Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, Sept 16, 2015 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Photo: Reuters
JAKARTA — Indonesia has turned down an offer of military assistance from Singapore to extinguish wildfires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, with thick haze from the fires also severely affecting air quality in the city-state.
Last week, Singapore released a statement saying its armed forces were ready to support the Indonesian Military (TNI) in combating the forest fires.
Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar confirmed today (Sept 17) that she had passed up the offer in a phonecall with her Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan.
“They offered help, but I told them we’re still trying to handle it ourselves,” Dr Bakar said, as quoted by newsportal CNNIndonesia.com.
She added that Singaporeans were indeed badly affected by haze coming from Jambi and South Sumatra, but it was not “dangerous”.
The TNI and Indonesia’s National Police have deployed more than 1,000 officers to control fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. THE JAKARTA GLOBE
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