SPEECH BY DR AMY KHOR, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH, AT SIIA HAZE EXHIBITION, 7 NOV 2014

Prof Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1    Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to join you here today at the launch of the SIIA’s first public exhibition “Haze: Know it, Stop it”.

Haze is a long term challenge for us

2    Our region has grappled with the haze issue since the first severe episode in 1997. It is not a new issue.  But the frequency of occurrence has increased as we can see throughout this year and last. In fact, last June, the three hour PSI hit 401 – a record level. That episode is a stark reminder that more attention and resources need to be committed towards the understanding of the underlying causes to the haze, and to consider what practical solutions are available.

Getting to the root of the problem

3    The haze is a result of land and forest fires in the region. Fire is commonly used as it is a cheaper means to clear land for agriculture to meet rising demand for commodities such as palm oil, wood pulp, rubber, sago and many others. Sometimes, fires can also accidentally breakout on lands that have been vacated. Such fires are common during the dry seasons and can easily get out of control.

Health effects of haze

4    Haze is not only an environmental and economic issue.  It is also a health concern. Whilst short-term exposure to haze may only cause temporary minor irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin which typically resolves on its own in healthy individuals, haze particles can affect the heart and lungs, especially in people who already have chronic heart or lung disease e.g. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart failure. Children and the elderly are also more sensitive to the health effect of haze. To mitigate the health impact of haze, we advise the public to follow the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) haze health advisory, and moderate their outdoor activities taking to consideration their health status, their physical capacity as well as the environmental conditions. Individuals with existing chronic heart and lung conditions should also ensure that their medications are on hand and readily available.

Greater political will by Indonesia

5    However, that is not to say that the outlook is all doom and gloom. In the past year, there has been remarkable progress made by governments, companies and the civil societies.

6    The Indonesian Parliament ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) that was first signed in 2002, recognising the urgent need for effective action at the source, including deterrence, investigation and enforcement against errant companies responsible for the haze.

7    Indonesia's ratification of the agreement is indeed timely, coming against the backdrop of the recent escalation of hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Singapore welcomes the ratification and looks forward to closer cooperation with the Indonesian government and our ASEAN partners to tackle this recurring issue.

Collaborations between Singapore and Indonesia

8    Singapore has consistently offered assistance packages to Indonesia over the past years to help combat possible land and forest fires. Singapore’s offers of haze assistance are to complement Indonesia’s fire-fighting capabilities to prevent another episode of severe transboundary haze from affecting the region.

9    Singapore had in 2007 collaborated with Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and the Jambi Provincial Government to jointly develop a Master Plan to deal with land and forest fires in Muaro Jambi Regency. With the successful completion of the Indonesia-Singapore collaboration in Jambi Province in 2011, Singapore is currently working with Indonesia to continue the collaborations through a proposed MOU between Indonesia and Singapore to extend bilateral cooperation in combating land and forest fires in Jambi.

Singapore whole-of-government approach

10    Within Singapore, we have adopted a whole-of-government approach in response to the haze.

11    At the policy level, Parliament passed the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, aimed at prosecuting errant entities that are responsible for causing or contributing to transboundary haze pollution in Singapore. An International Advisory Panel on Transboundary Pollution (IAP) was also appointed to advise our Government on the solutions and practical steps which Singapore can adopt in light of the trends and developments in international law relating to transboundary pollution and on the issues arising under international law from the impact of transboundary pollution.

12    An Inter-Agency Haze Task Force (HTF) comprising 23 government ministries and agencies was set up in 1994 to co-ordinate their respective action plans to mitigate the effects of haze on the public. In an effort to help Singaporeans better cope with medical ailments that may arise as a result of the haze, Ministry of Health introduced the Haze Subsidy Scheme to provide subsidised treatment for haze-related conditions for eligible Singaporeans last year. The Government deployed N95 masks from its stockpile to various retail outlets to overcome shortage of masks in the market. The People’s Association helped to distribute masks to low-income families. These responses will be reinstated whenever the need arises. The government recognises that the young and elderly, especially, are the most vulnerable.

Cooperation between private sector and civil societies is key

13    Among private sector companies, it is indeed heartening to see that some agroforestry companies have come out strongly to support the haze law, and reaffirmed their commitments to adhere to a zero-burning policy.

14    Equally commendable are civil societies like the SIIA, which has taken the lead to be a frontrunner on the haze issue in the last two decades. The SIIA held its inaugural Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources in May, which brought governments, private sector and civil societies together to look at the prospects of sustainable development of the resource sector in ASEAN, including challenges posed by transboundary haze issue. SIIA also just convened a Haze Roundtable yesterday among 40 key regional NGOs, private sector and government representatives to conduct a review of the haze situation and explore cross-sector cooperation in the fight against the haze. Some of them like the Fauna and Flora International (Indonesia), Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Wilmar and Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) are here today as part of the exhibition as well.

15    The haze is a complex problem and constructive engagement between the private sector and civil societies is necessary for us to avoid a repeat of another severe haze episode.  

16    Consumers and individuals too can play a part by recognising brands that are sustainable and do not contribute to fires and the haze. With better satellite tracking of thermal hotspots, and improvement in supply chain traceability, consumers will be able to draw the line of responsibility to errant firms. Their purchase decision can influence companies to be “greener”.

17    Once again, I want to commend the SIIA and your partners for this exhibition. The best way to solve a problem is to first understand the root causes, which is exactly what this exhibition strives to do.

18    I wish you all great success. Thank you.