High global oil prices too had a hand in this haze
They made it impossible for Indonesia to continue absorbing price volatility through subsidies for imported fuels.
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Firefighters in Sematang Borang on the outskirts of Palembang, South Sumatra, trying out Brazilian fire suppressant powder Realiza Antichamas on Oct 15.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Jose Ma. Luis Montesclaros
In a sign of greater cooperation on the horizon between Singapore and Indonesia to tackle transboundary haze, talks in Jakarta have culminated in a new joint task force.
The announcement follows meetings between Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his Indonesian counterpart Arrmanatha Nasir and President Prabowo Subianto, as both nations intensified efforts to combat the fires plaguing the region. Balakrishnan also mentioned high-level communication between Prabowo and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.