Shanmugam slams Indonesian official's haze comments, backs Prabowo

Senior Minister K Shanmugam on Monday dismissed characterisations of transboundary haze as merely a natural phenomenon, emphasising instead that the recurring problem stems from corporate profit-seeking behaviour. His comments appeared directed at an Indonesian official's recent statements, which Shanmugam described as disappointing. The haze that periodically blights Southeast Asia, particularly affecting Singapore and neighbouring regions, has long been attributed to land-clearing fires in Indonesia, often linked to agricultural and commercial interests. Shanmugam's remarks underscored Singapore's position that accountability for regional air pollution must extend to the companies and practices driving forest fires, rather than treating the issue as an unavoidable natural occurrence. However, the Senior Minister welcomed concrete actions undertaken by President Prabowo's administration to address the haze problem, signalling official recognition of Indonesia's efforts to combat the seasonal crisis. The distinction reflected Singapore's diplomatic approach of distinguishing between individual officials' statements and the broader commitment of Indonesian leadership to regional environmental cooperation.