Singapore, Indonesia form haze task force as ministers press talks

Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to create a joint task force to hold companies accountable for forest and land fires that cause transboundary haze, while also setting up a hotline between ministers and senior officials. The steps emerged during Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s Oct. 27-29 visit to Jakarta, where he met Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir and President Prabowo Subianto. Balakrishnan said both governments had direct communication at the highest level as they worked through differences over energy supplies and cross-border electricity exports. The haze has lingered for decades, and both sides said closer coordination is needed as fires in Indonesia again foul air across the region.