1) What are the causes of the annual haze situation in Singapore?
Answer: Farmers use the slash and burn method to clear trees for their plantations as it is the fastest and cheapest method available. Some of the crops they grow would include palm trees. When the trees are burnt, with the aid of the wind, the fire goes out of control and forms smoke haze. This is also due to the South-west Monsoon where we are experiencing a dry season and there is little or no rainfall. Therefore, there is transboundary pollution when the wind blows the smoke haze to other countries (Singapore).

2) The haze situation occurs annually during August to October. But As far as you can remember, in which year exactly did the annual haze situation start to occur?
Answer: It was during 1997. There was low rainfall and it was also during the dry season. It so happens that when farmers clear the land, it coincides with the dry season.

3) As you know, the annual haze situation has been occurring for the past few years. Can you please tell us MORE about the measures taken by Singapore to lessen the impact of /prevent the haze on Singapore's economy and also to help our people?
Answer: Economy – no answer
NEA gives health advisories. Their website is constantly updated with the latest PSI every 3 hours during the haze period. And also hourly PSI readings on TV.

4) As we have read in article written about the haze, besides from providing assistance by cloud seeding and sending fire fighters to Indonesia to extinguish the forest fires, what else did Singapore do to aid Indonesia?
Answer: In 2005, Singapore sent an aircraft, C1-30 to seed clouds and also 54 firemen with fire-fighting equipment. In 2006, Singapore did offer help to Indonesia, however, Indonesia had already arranged for a special Russian aircraft which could scoop up seawater and extinguish the fires. Other than the above mentioned, Singapore also provided Satellite pictures which showed the location of hotspots. With these co-ordinates, Indonesia was able to quickly rush to the fires and put them out efficiently, enforcing effort in helping to arrest the people responsible.

5) Whenever we read the news, we have the idea that most Singaporeans blame Indonesia for the haze since they are the ones who caused it by burning the forest. What is your view on this issue?
Answer: GENERAL SINGAPOREAN VIEW – Naturally, Singaporeans would feel unhappy as they would not be able to carry out outdoor activities. Those who are asthmatic will feel worse.

6) Amy Khor, Senior parliamentary secretary (Environment and Water Resources) mentioned that citizen's concern will help drive action. What is your opinion on her statement?
Answer: It is just like your neighbour cooks curry everyday and you dislike the smell. Either you tell the neighbour to stop cooking curry or do nothing about it. There is a haze action plan. (Does not really answer the question, overlaps from the previous question)

7) Indonesia organised a workshop in November last year to look into new measures to solve the haze problem. In your PERSONAL opinion, are the new measures effective/measures taken by Indonesia effective?
Answer: Effort is put in to engage Indonesians. Sub-regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) was set up during the meeting in Jakarta in November. The MSC is headed by the environment ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
The meeting in Jakarta was spear-headed by our Prime Minister. Of course, before MSC was founded, there were other organisations such as Haze Technical Task Force (HTTF) and Sub-Regional Fire-fighting Arrangements (SRFA) which were monitoring the haze closely. The MSC was set up due to the severity of the haze. They also hope to improve the situation in future years.

8) So far, some companies in Indonesia have been under investigation as they have been suspected for contributing to the forest fire. And if they are prosecuted, do you think that the haze in this coming year to be less serious?
Answer: Information provided*. There are such companies like paper and pulp or palm tree plantations. Even if they are suspected, they can still deny responsibility. Only if they are caught red-handed, would there be fewer fires started. Although Indonesia has attempted to prosecute them, they always appear to be innocent.


9) Dr Yaacob once mentioned during a parliament session that the farmers in Indonesia have to be convinced to stop using the slash and burn method and adopt the other method of clearing land. In your opinion, will they be easily persuaded?
Answer: Farmers use slash and burn method because of the low cost and efficiency involved. Farmers are poor and are unable to afford machinery to slowly cut down the trees. Indonesia is receiving funds from ASEAN countries. Singapore and Indonesia has pledged US $50 000 respectively. The funds gained will be used to subsidise/ defray the cost of the machines, lessening the burden of the farmers. Funds will be also used to develop programs to educate the farmers. Educating the farmers is a long process. In the long run, it will be successful. Companies will not receive any benefits/help from this fund as they are profit driven. More help is given in the form of equipment.

10) In your PERSONAL opinion, has the haze issue affected ties between Singapore and Indonesia, especially after Singapore brought up the haze issue at the United Nations General Assembly?
Answer: Since Indonesia set up MSC with Singapore, it just shows how sincere Indonesia is working together with Singapore. All ASEAN countries are trying to help out.

11) Do you feel that it will be a good idea for NEA to come up with certain activities related to the annual haze situation in Singapore (interactive games or talks) once in a while to educate Singaporeans on the haze? (E.g. how it is formed, what are the factors that make the haze worse etc.)
Answer: During 1997, after the occurrence of the haze, a talk was held. Recently, Mr Lee gave a talk for half a day at the Singapore Environment Institute. NEA passes on whatever information it has to the media/press, thus there has been some interaction between NEA and citizens. Singapore is the host of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC). ASMC monitors the haze situation/weather for all the ASEAN countries.

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Nowadays, the palm oil industry has been a booming one, especially when it has so many uses – soap. AND especially Bio fuel. When there is more demand for palm trees, more trees will have to be cut down and there will be more burnings.

The haze next year may not be so bad. Like in 2005, the haze was not so bad in Singapore because the wind blew most of the smoke haze to Malaysia. LATEST INFO: Expected to be the same (Neutral). It also depends on the location of the hotspot. The closer the burnings, the worse. And wind direction.

Mentioned a bit on El Nino and La Nina.
El Nino: Warming of sea surface temperature at certain parts. Temperature will become slighter higher and cause countries to experience a much hotter climate.
La Nina: Wet weather, rainfall.

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Throughout the course of the interview, our interviewee provided us mostly with information. When we ask for opinions, the interviewee gave only a general overview. This could be due to the fact that he could only disclose a certain amount of information. This also explained why we could find all his information on the Net and newspapers. It could also be due to the nature of the questions; a false move may lead to political implications.

*At the end of the interview, the interviewee provided us with some research information and websites which we could refer to.