South East Asia Chokes on Toxic Smog as Indonesia Battles Intense Wildfires

A severe wildfire season in Indonesia has blanketed parts of South East Asia in toxic smog, leading to hazardous air quality and significant public health concerns. The "haze," as it is known, has affected Indonesia's islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra, with the smog drifting to neighboring countries, obscuring Singapore's skyline and forcing school closures in Malaysia.

The annual dry season wildfires have been exacerbated this year by an unusually strong El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that alters global weather patterns. Independent monitoring by Nusantara Atlas has recorded over one million wildfire hotspots in Indonesia, burning approximately 900,000 hectares of land.

Slash and Burn Practices

Many of the fires are attributed to "slash and burn" agriculture, a traditional method for clearing land to create fertile soil for crops. However, current practices are often on a larger scale and linked to commercial farming, making them harder to control. Activists and government investigations have frequently pointed to companies using fire as a cost-effective way to clear vast tracts of land. Despite being illegal in Indonesia, enforcement of the ban on slash-and-burn farming has been challenging.

In response to the persistent haze this year, Indonesian authorities have intensified efforts to penalize offenders. President Prabowo Subianto has advocated for stricter sanctions against slash-and-burn practices, terming them "ecological terrorism." Last month, Indonesian authorities announced the suspension of operating licenses for 26 companies linked to the wildfires and initiated investigations into others, with officials vowing to pursue criminal cases.

International Scrutiny

Companies beyond Indonesia have also faced scrutiny. A Greenpeace report identified businesses based in Singapore and Malaysia connected to Indonesian land where wildfires are burning. First Resources, a Singapore-based palm oil company, had over 30 haze source points recorded on land managed by its Indonesian subsidiaries between August and September, according to Greenpeace. First Resources stated it enforces a "strict zero burning policy" and robust fire prevention measures.

Malaysian plantation group Kuala Lumpur Kepong was also named, with its subsidiary PT Menteng Jaya Sawit Perdana managing land where 19 haze source points were detected. The company asserted that most fires originated outside its concession area and had been extinguished, reiterating its prohibition of open burning.

Diplomatic Tensions and Local Action

Past incidents have highlighted diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the haze. In 2014, Singapore enacted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, enabling action against firms contributing to the haze. However, attempts to prosecute Indonesian companies in 2015 were met with strong objections from Jakarta, citing harm to bilateral ties and a lack of cooperation.

Similar tensions resurfaced recently when an Indonesian government official suggested that the smog was beyond human control and that neighboring countries benefited from Indonesian forests. Such remarks have drawn criticism.

Indonesia has previously apologized to its neighbors for the haze and has acknowledged offers of assistance from Singapore and Malaysia in tackling the wildfires this year, though international support has not been officially requested.

Within Indonesia, civil society groups are pursuing legal action. In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the Indonesian government and President Subianto, accusing them of "gross negligence" over the recurring toxic haze. The lawsuit seeks to have the haze declared a national disaster to facilitate recovery measures, including healthcare cost coverage. A similar case filed last year in South Sumatra was dismissed.

On the ground, residents continue to endure the hazardous air quality. A motorcycle taxi driver in Pekanbaru, Sumatra, described experiencing shortness of breath and headaches due to the smog but felt compelled to continue working, appealing to the government for an immediate solution to the crisis.