Case Study of Indonesia

Government Action

• 154 permits of 29 plantation and timber firms were revoked.
• 24 people were arrested on suspicion of starting fires, trials of two have started and 30 companies, including four foreign firms, were under police probe.

Expenditure

• Forestry Ministry spent Rp3 billion (S$1.5 million) to handle fires. It trained 1,400 rangers and sent 9,000 fire fighters to forestry companies.
• Health Ministry distributed Rp400 million in medical supplies to worst affected areas, including 400,000 masks.
• Doctors and paramedics along with Rp100 million donation and medicines were sent to hunger-stricken villages in Irian Jaya.
• The United States government is funding a US$5 million (S$7.9 million) water bombing operation to douse fires in East Java.

Economy

• Environmental activists put the total cost to the country at more than Rp62 trillion, inclusive of hospital treatment coasts, tourist cancellations, timber losses, etc.
• Flight cancellations due to airport closure have cost Indonesian airlines more than Rp20 billion.

Tourism

• The Bali hotel industry complained that negative reporting abroad on the haze led to cancellation by Europeans and Americans.
• Government lowered its target of 5.3 million tourists this year, with revenues now forecast to be under US$7 billion.

Livestock and Agriculture

• Officials say 223,984 hectares of forest and bushes were razed in 23 provinces; environmentalists say 1.7-million-hectares has been destroyed. Losses amounted to Rp45 billion.
• Drought has delayed rice planting in East Java and officials fear severe shortages soon.

Health

• Almost 500 people died from drought-induced famine and diseases in Irian Jaya as the haze prevented planes from flying in food supplies.
• At least 17 people have died of haze-related aliments and another 12 elderly folks with previous respiratory problems died in Jambi; Officials estimate 240,000 people in 12 provinces are suffering from respiratory problems, with only half seeking medical treatment.

Accidents

• 235 people died on September 26 when a Garuda plane crashed in Medan while attempting to land in poor visibility.
• 28 passengers died on October 19 when two boats collided in the Barito River in Kalimantan.

Lifestyle

• Rice in Central Kalimantan costs Rp8,000, more than four times higher because goods cannot be trucked in.
• Jakarta residents, unaffected by the haze, continue their usual pursuits.
• Teams brought facemasks to the 19^th Southeast Asia Games in October.