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AsiaOne
30 September 2015
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has revealed that he needs time to solve the haze issue which plagues Southeast Asia annually.
In an exclusive interview with BBC, Widodo said it would take "three years for results to be seen" from efforts to put out the huge fires.
Although the haze looks to be the biggest problem Widodo's administration is having to face, he dismissed talks of how he has disappointed his supporters and said a country as big as Indonesia "takes time to fix the many problems it has".
Huge areas of forest are cleared using fire in Indonesia each year, inadvertently affecting its neighbours, namely Singapore and Malaysia - both of whom have already stepped forward to offer help.
However, Indonesia has yet to accept either country's offer.
Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the country's offer to help Indonesia resolve the haze crisis still stands and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will also consider enhancing its assistance package if more aid is needed.
However, a series of mixed responses from Indonesian leaders have emerged, most notably by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, who said on Sunday: "Singapore can come and see for themselves if they want to help.
Don't just talk." Malaysia's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had also said on Sep 29 that he is "more than willing" to help Indonesia tackle the forest fires causing haze.
Indonesia has often pointed out that some of the companies responsible for the burning are foreign-owned and that their neighbours benefit from cheap palm oil products.
Singapore has since begun legal action against five companies it believes are among the culprits behind Indonesia's polluting fires.
Widodo said Indonesia is tackling the haze issue and has already sent more than 3,700 soldiers, nearly 8,000 police officers and four water-bombing planes to put out the fires.
"You will see results soon and in three years we will have solved this," he said.
30 September 2015
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has revealed that he needs time to solve the haze issue which plagues Southeast Asia annually.
In an exclusive interview with BBC, Widodo said it would take "three years for results to be seen" from efforts to put out the huge fires.
Although the haze looks to be the biggest problem Widodo's administration is having to face, he dismissed talks of how he has disappointed his supporters and said a country as big as Indonesia "takes time to fix the many problems it has".
Huge areas of forest are cleared using fire in Indonesia each year, inadvertently affecting its neighbours, namely Singapore and Malaysia - both of whom have already stepped forward to offer help.
However, Indonesia has yet to accept either country's offer.
Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the country's offer to help Indonesia resolve the haze crisis still stands and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will also consider enhancing its assistance package if more aid is needed.
However, a series of mixed responses from Indonesian leaders have emerged, most notably by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, who said on Sunday: "Singapore can come and see for themselves if they want to help.
Don't just talk." Malaysia's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had also said on Sep 29 that he is "more than willing" to help Indonesia tackle the forest fires causing haze.
Indonesia has often pointed out that some of the companies responsible for the burning are foreign-owned and that their neighbours benefit from cheap palm oil products.
Singapore has since begun legal action against five companies it believes are among the culprits behind Indonesia's polluting fires.
Widodo said Indonesia is tackling the haze issue and has already sent more than 3,700 soldiers, nearly 8,000 police officers and four water-bombing planes to put out the fires.
"You will see results soon and in three years we will have solved this," he said.
