Indonesia accepts Singapore's offer of haze assistance

Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said on Wednesday (Oct 7) that Indonesia has accepted Singapore's offer to help combat the haze.

Dr Balakrishnan said in a Facebook post that he had a discussion with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi who indicated that her country will take up on Singapore's offer of haze assistance.

The haze assistance package will include "assets, personnel, high-resolution satellite pictures and hotspot coordinates," according to Dr Balakrishnan.

He also mentioned that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a formal request to the Indonesian Embassy on Tuesday asking for the names of the companies with suspected involvement with the haze so that action can be taken against them.

The haze has plagued the region in the past few months, causing many to suffer from respiratory illnesses and schools in Singapore and Malaysia to close.

minlee@sph.com.sg