Jakarta has power to act against firms burning land, says Yeo

Ragananthini Vethasalam Ragananthini Vethasalam Updated 6 years ago · Published on 14 Sep 2019 3:52PM · 2 Comments

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin says since there was no Asean-level law on transboundary smoke, enforcement action is solely under Indonesia's jurisdiction. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 14, 2019.

JAKARTA has the power to act against the Indonesian subsidiaries of four Malaysian companies accused of open burning that is contributing to transboundary smoke, Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said today.

“It is up to the Indonesian government to investigate. 

“I think there are many more other companies, (also) Indonesian companies that are involved in this.

“According to the report, there are 30 of these companies,” she said after a special cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.

“We believe that the Indonesian government should do whatever that is necessary to investigate and take action against whomever that is proven to be against the law,” she added.

Indonesia’s environment minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar yesterday the plantations operated by the Indonesian units of the Malaysian firms have been sealed off for allegedly starting fires to clear the land.

IOI Corporation Bhd and Sime Darby Plantation Bhd last night denied that their Indonesian plantations have been sealed off.

KLK Bhd today admitted there was a fire on the plantation in Riau province operated by its subsidiary, PT Adei Plantation. However, the firm said the fire was put out the same day it was discovered.

Yeo said Malaysia has offered to help Indonesia to put out forest fires.

“Indonesia has full power to enforce their law on their land. Indonesia has full power to put off the fire on their land. So, we have already conveyed our message that we will support them in any way possible when they see fit. So, we are ready if and when they accept the offer from us,” she said.

Asked if the four companies would be asked to explain themselves to the ministry, Yeo said since there was no Asean-level law on transboundary smoke, enforcement action is solely under Indonesia’s jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Yeo said the ministry is looking for the right time to conduct cloud seeding in Selangor.

“We will find the right time in the next few days to carry out cloud seeding in Selangor,” she said, adding that the Meteorological Department and the Royal Malaysian Air Force are on standby.

However, she said cloud seeding is only a temporary relief, and the priority is to put out the fires. – September 14, 2019.



 

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Comments

  • Yeo is absolutely right. Indonesia has full power to prosecute any party that is found guilty of open burning to clear land in their country. If these are Malaysian or Singaporean companies, we support Indonesian's government to prosecute them with all the might of the Indonesian laws. Just do your job.

    Posted 6 years ago by Anonymous 1234 · Reply

  • Absolutely the wrong answer YB Yeo. You, Teresa Kok and entire PH government are sleeping on the wheel! Stop pointless debates on FB and do your jobs, you all are just as hopeless as Indon government. You are not allowed to pass the baton on this! Why not pass new Act that allows Malaysia to take cross boundary actions against any company that fails to prevent illegal burning or any action that results in environmental pollution on our soils. But even without these new law, relevant Ministries here should have sufficient powers to force the likes of Sime, IOI etc to be fully accountable for actions of their subsids in Indon. Also, any cloud seeding here or fire fighting effort rendered to Indonesia should be charged back to the plantation companies andnpt come from our tax coffers. These companies reap the profits while the rest breathe poison. Do your freaking jobs PH!

    Posted 6 years ago by Mahsuri Smiles · Reply