Relationship advice: 5 things Indonesia has said about the haze & what they actually mean
In the latest chapter of Singapore and Indonesia’s haze back-and-forth, Indonesia is reviewing existing and proposed bilateral collaborations with Singapore on haze and environmental issues, mainly because Singapore issued a search warrant for the director of an Indonesian company.
This shows that while Indonesia and Singapore have had a cordial relationship for decades, there are still some misunderstandings, mostly haze related, that we still have to work through every now and then.
So to better understand our neighbours, we’ve come up with a handy guide to figuring out what Indonesia is really saying when they comment on the haze problem.
1. “We really appreciate the input provided to us by our Singaporean neighbors and cherish our bilateral partnership, but I would respectfully ask them to stop making so many comments, particularly when it comes to the fires and haze-related issues”
Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said this during an interview with an environmental website, when told of statements made by Singaporean Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkilfli.
What they mean: Can you please give us our space! You’re suffocating us worse than the haze.
What you want to do: Ask them to diam until they get rid of the haze.
What you should do: Smile and nod along with them.
2. “However, with all due respect to my Singaporean counterpart, what are they doing? And where has it got them?”
Further comments by Siti Nurbaya during the same interview on Singapore’s purported inaction against companies responsible for the haze.
What they mean: Can you grow a backbone? Please stand up to those companies who are responsible for this.
What you want to do: Point out that the fires aren’t necessarily motivated by purely corporate greed, and that the country where the burning is occurring might need to take the bulk of the regulatory responsibility.
What you should do: Promise to work harder and catch those responsible. Then smile and nod along with them.
3. “We urged for regulations in Singapore not to affect the good trade and cooperation ties that we have now, especially between our businesses”
The spokesperson for the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Arrmanatha Nasir, said this at a weekly press briefing at the foreign ministry. This was in response to the National Environment Agency (NEA) obtaining a court warrant against the director of an Indonesian company linked to haze-causing forest fires, who failed to turn up for an interview with authorities in Singapore.
What they mean: Stand up to those companies that AREN’T our friends.
What you want to say: Simi sai? I thought you say must crack down on the corporations that are responsible for propagating haze?
What you should say: Promise to work harder and catch those really responsible (not their friends), then smile and nod along with them.
4. “For 11 months, they enjoyed nice air from Indonesia and they never thanked us”
Vice President Jusuf Kalla reprimanded Indonesia’s neighbours, including Singapore, for complaining too much about the one month of haze.
What they mean: We are sick of your complaining, we need some positive encouragement too.
What you want to say: Wah lau, isn’t that a little condescending? No one owns clean air what.
What you should say: Thank you for the 11 months of clean air.
5. “Then someone asks why we didn’t accept the assistance offered earlier. There are many reasons for that. Firstly, we wanted to try and do it on our own. Secondly, we didn’t realise the process would be so long. Thirdly, (Singapore) offered only one aircraft. It was insulting”
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, commenting on why they rejected Singapore’s offer in helping to put out the fires.
What they mean: Other countries offer us two aircrafts, why can’t you be like them?
What you want to say: You also never buy anything for us, got free aircraft still want to complain.
What you should do: Sayang them, offer them whatever they want (2 planes, no problem!), then smile and nod along with them.
Sure, we might seem to be getting the short end of the stick, but hey that’s ok, because they have an abundance of natural resources and labour we can only dream of getting we love them.
Related articles
10 things Singapore should do to stop the haze before blaming Indonesia
Top image from Flickr.com
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- Thet Nyi Nyi
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