Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (left) arriving for a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir in Jakarta, on Tuesday. — The Straits Times/ANN Photo

JAKARTA — Singapore and Indonesia will establish a joint task force to hold companies accountable for forest fires, as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation against transboundary haze and tackle deliberate burning blamed for the blazes.

The proposed task force would facilitate information sharing, financial intelligence and cross-border evidence gathering, with the possibility of recovering assets linked to companies responsible for the fires.

The initiative was announced by Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir following talks with his Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan in Jakarta on Tuesday.

“We discussed establishing a joint task force on strengthening business responsibility,” Arrmanatha said at a joint press conference. “It will link information sharing, financial intelligence and cross-border evidence gathering, with, where possible, hopefully asset recovery.”

He said Singapore had offered to share data on firms linked to the fires, an offer Indonesia welcomed.

“Smoke can cross borders, so can money. That is why we must follow the money trail these companies have left behind,” he said. “No border should shield those who profit from burning our forests,” Arrmanatha added.

Speaking after Arrmanatha, Balakrishnan said he has shared with his counterpart how Singapore will take action against companies responsible for the haze, including those based in the Republic.

“We are going to exercise all, every single legal and regulatory power, and we are prepared to use an even wider range of legal, regulatory and economic measures to deter future violations by companies,” he said.

He said Singapore had agreed to Indonesia’s proposal to establish the joint task force, which would allow both countries to coordinate enforcement action and share information more closely to deter future violations.

“We are in effect putting all the companies on notice that the joint task force will ensure that there is a very close coordination of actions and sharing of information between Indonesia and Singapore. And we expect, therefore, the deterrence impact of this joint task force to make a difference.”

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) has issued preventive-measures notices to 10 companies in Indonesia linked to fires suspected of contributing to the haze in the Republic.

Separately, the NEA has asked 10 Singapore-based companies to provide information and documents about their activities as part of investigations under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

The announcement comes amid renewed concerns over forest and land fires in Indonesia, which have sent thick haze across parts of South-east Asia and prompted calls for stronger action to prevent the problem from recurring.

Arrmanatha stressed that Indonesians were the first to suffer from the fires, particularly communities in Sumatra and Kalimantan. “The first victims of these fires are Indonesians. It is our farmers, our children and our families in Sumatra and Kalimantan who have to breathe the smoke first,” he said.

He said President Prabowo Subianto had made tackling the fires a national priority, with around 71,000 ground personnel and 51 aerial units mobilised across priority provinces.

Indonesia was also using water bombing and weather modification to contain the blazes, although severe El Nino conditions had complicated firefighting efforts, he added.

Arrmanatha said hundreds of individuals and more than 50 corporations had been investigated or prosecuted over the fires, with some already found guilty under Indonesian law.

Balakrishnan echoed his counterpart’s remarks, acknowledging that Indonesians bore the brunt of the fires.

“I completely agree with Pak Tata that, in fact, the first and the primary victims of the haze are Indonesian citizens, especially those in Kalimantan and in Sumatra,” he said.

He also acknowledged Indonesia’s firefighting efforts and paid tribute to the thousands of Indonesian firefighters and emergency personnel battling the blazes in dangerous conditions, describing them as “people literally on the front line”.

Close bilateral ties

Beyond the haze issue, both foreign ministers reaffirmed the strength of Singapore-Indonesia relations, stressing that differences between the neighbours should be addressed through open dialogue and mutual respect.

Their talks on Tuesday marked their first official meeting as foreign ministers since Arrmanatha was appointed to the post on October 1, succeeding Sugiono in a Cabinet reshuffle.

“Indonesia and Singapore are more than just neighbours; we are partners in a shared future,” Arrmanatha said.

“Today, (the) Indonesia-Singapore relationship is mature enough to speak candidly, especially when we differ. What matters is not what we differ, but how we resolve our differences constructively, respectfully and openly,” he added.

He said both countries had agreed to establish a hotline at the ministerial and senior official levels to strengthen communication and help manage differences.

Balakrishnan described their discussions as fruitful and sincere, emphasising Singapore’s confidence in Indonesia’s future and the close links between the two countries. “We want Indonesia to succeed, and we want this because our futures are intertwined. Singapore’s success also depends on a prosperous, stable, peaceful Indonesia,” he said.

Both ministers also agreed to build on the outcomes of the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in July, when Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Prabowo witnessed the signing of 26 agreements spanning economic, energy, defence, digital, environmental and other areas of cooperation.

The two countries are preparing to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, when Singapore will also chair Asean. Arrmanatha pledged Indonesia’s support for Singapore’s chairmanship, while Balakrishnan said both countries would work closely to strengthen Asean’s unity and resilience.

Reflecting on the relationship, Balakrishnan acknowledged that neighbours would sometimes have differences, but said what mattered was how they understood those differences and overcame challenges together.

He cited the Indonesian proverb, “berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing” – meaning, “heavy burdens are shouldered together, light loads are carried together” – saying it reflected the spirit of mutual assistance and cooperation between the two countries, even in difficult times. — The Straits Times/ANN