Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, has urged neighbouring countries to watch their words when criticising Indonesia over the haze caused by forest and land fires.
He said their patience has limits if efforts to tackle the fires continue to be dismissed or met with insults from abroad.
This remark was made during a working visit to Nganjuk Regency in East Java on Sunday (Oct 25).
Thousands working to put out fires
According to Siakap Keli, Zulkifli said multiple agencies and thousands of volunteers were working tirelessly to bring the fires under control.
These include the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and local authorities.
Firefighting efforts were taking place both on the ground and from the air, he said, with weather modification operations also being carried out to help contain the spreading fires.
Urges neighbours to observe diplomatic etiquette
Zulkifli acknowledged that the haze had affected people beyond Indonesia’s borders, alongside residents in Sumatra and Kalimantan whose daily activities had been disrupted.
However, he urged neighbouring countries to observe diplomatic etiquette when raising their concerns.
He also called on them to recognise the efforts of personnel risking their safety to put out the fires.
Tackling the disaster would remain a priority until the situation was under control, he added.
Concerns in Malaysia and Singapore
The transboundary haze has raised concerns in Malaysia and Singapore, where several leaders have voiced concerns over air pollution and called for tougher action against those responsible.
Separately, Indonesian minister Sugiono had previously said Indonesia understood the impact on neighbouring countries and was working through diplomatic and technical channels to address the crisis.
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