 Thank them for the Air?
BE GRATEFUL FORESTS PROVIDE OXYGEN: JAKARTA MINISTER
SINGAPOREANS and Malaysians who complain about the haze caused by fires in Indonesia should be fair, said Indonesia's Forestry Minister.
They ought to reflect on how they have never thanked their neighbour for the oxygen produced by its forests, he said.
Describing the complaints as 'natural', Mr M.S. Kaban was quoted in Tuesday's evening daily Sinar Harapan as saying: 'Our forests produce oxygen which makes the air cool for them, but they have never been grateful.
'Now that there is haze, they complain. There should be a balance.'
It was not the first such sentiment expressed by an Indonesian politician.
In July, South Sumatra's regional paper Sriwijaya Post reported a legislator making identical remarks during a working visit to the region responsible for a large number of hot spots.
Commenting on pressure on Indonesia to ratify a regional anti-haze agreement, Mr Nazarudin Kiemas had said that the world owed Indonesia for the oxygen the country produces. A member of the parliamentary commission on the environment which is leading deliberations on ratifying the pact, he added: 'But we are not calculative, as we believe in being good neighbours. And we hope for the same from others.'
The commission has also publicly stated that ratification could be used as a tool by Indonesia to negotiate environment-related concessions from other Asean countries, such as stopping Malaysian companies from buying illegally logged timber from Indonesia.  To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. | 
