Key facts
- Wildfires in Indonesia have caused a toxic smog affecting millions in South East Asia.
- Air quality in Kalimantan and Sumatra has reached hazardous levels.
- The smog has spread to Singapore and Malaysia, forcing school closures.
- 1,043,377 wildfire hotspots have been recorded in Indonesia, burning 900,000 hectares of land.
- 26 companies linked to the wildfires had their operating licenses suspended by Indonesian authorities.
- Greenpeace identified Singaporean and Malaysian companies linked to burning land in Indonesia.
A toxic smog, known as the haze, is choking millions across South East Asia as Indonesia grapples with its most severe wildfire season in a decade. The air quality in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra has reached hazardous levels, with the smog extending to Singapore and Malaysia, prompting public health concerns and school closures.
The intense wildfires this year are exacerbated by an unusually strong El Niño. Independent monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas has recorded over a million wildfire hotspots across Indonesia, burning nearly a million hectares of land. Many of these fires are linked to the "slash and burn" agricultural practice, which, while traditionally used by small farmers, is now often associated with large-scale commercial farming and is illegal.
Activists and government investigations have accused some companies of using fire as a cost-effective method for land clearing. Despite the illegality of slash-and-burn farming, enforcement has been challenging. However, the severity of the current haze has led Indonesian authorities to intensify efforts against offenders. President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter sanctions, labeling the practice "ecological terrorism." Last month, authorities suspended the operating licenses of 26 companies and initiated investigations into others, vowing to pursue criminal cases.
Controversy has also extended to companies based in Singapore and Malaysia. A Greenpeace report implicated businesses in these countries with land in Indonesia experiencing wildfires. First Resources, a Singapore-based palm oil company, had over 30 haze source points recorded on land managed by its subsidiaries between August and September, according to Greenpeace. First Resources stated it maintains a "strict zero burning policy." Malaysian plantation group Kuala Lumpur Kepong was also named, with its subsidiary PT Menteng Jaya Sawit Perdana managing land where 19 haze source points were recorded. Kuala Lumpur Kepong stated that most fires originated outside its concession and have been extinguished, adding that it "do not condone or permit the use of open burning."
Past attempts to address the haze have led to diplomatic tensions. In 2014, Singapore passed the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, but efforts to prosecute Indonesian companies were met with resistance from Jakarta. In 2015, Indonesia's then-Vice-President Jusuf Kalla remarked that Singaporeans "enjoyed nice air from Indonesia" for most of the year and only became upset during the haze. Similar sentiments were echoed recently by Syahganda Nainggolan, who suggested Singapore and Malaysia's oxygen comes from Indonesian forests, a statement that drew criticism.
Indonesia has previously apologized for the haze and this year thanked Singapore and Malaysia for offering assistance, though no international support has been formally requested. In Indonesia, civil society groups have filed a class-action lawsuit against the government and President Subianto, accusing them of "gross negligence" and seeking a national disaster declaration to cover healthcare costs. A similar case last year was dismissed.
Meanwhile, residents in affected areas continue to endure dangerous air pollution. "I'm short of breath and have a headache breathing air now. But I still have to work," said Imrayedi, a 63-year-old motorcycle taxi driver in Pekanbaru, Sumatra, urging the government to find a swift solution.