Jakarta – Ekuatorial. The Indonesian House of Representatives finally agreed to pass cross-border haze agreement bill on Tuesday (16/9) marking a new phase to deal with the country’s yearly forest and land fires.
In 2002, Indonesia along with other nine countries signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. However, it took 12 years for the country to ratify the agreement even though it was initiated after massive forest fires happened in 1997. The fires have affected not only Indonesian but blanketed neighboring countries, particularly Malaysia and Singapore, with estimated US$674 – US$799 million economical loss.
“The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is the appropriate move for Indonesia to show our seriousness in tackling cross-border smokes caused by land or forest fires,” said Balthasar Kambuaya, Minister of Environment, at the plenary meeting.
Furthermore, Kambuaya said that the new law on the agreement will regulate on monitoring, assessment, management, and quick responses [to tackle forest and land fires]. In addition, the law will also facilitate technical cooperation and scientific research, along with institution among ASEAN countries for the fires.
Milton Pakpahan, Chair of Commission VII, overseeing environment and energy issues, said that the ratification was based on forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan which have been affecting other ASEAN countries.
The parliament had failed to ratify the agreement in 2008 due to sovereignty issues and skepticism over government’s capability to deal with forest fires. However, the 2013 forest fires, which fuelled tension with Singapore and prompted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to offer his apology over the pollution, had boosted the parliament to speed up the ratification. All fractions have agreed to pass the bill.
Pakpahan said that there should be cooperation between nations as there were the same interests and the needs of technology use to tackle forest fires. Januar Hakam.