On 6 November 2014, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) convened the SIIA's Haze Roundtable titled "Beyond Awareness: Growing Ground-up Initiatives" where over 40 academics, corporate and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representatives from Indonesia and Malaysia gathered in Singapore to discuss solutions to the ongoing issue of haze.

SIIA is a non-government think tank based in Singapore, focused on research, analysis and discussion of regional and international issues. The closed-door roundtable discussion, moderated by SIIA Chairman Professor Simon Tay and Executive Director, Nicolas Fang, covered the current haze situation in the region and its causes, recent law changes, proposed haze tracking technology and other related environmental and resource management challenges. The discussion was conducted under Chatham House rules to encourage an open and candid sharing of views and, as such, the exchanges remain private.

Prof. Simon Tay, Ian Wevell (APRIL), Dr. Amy Khor, Petrus Gunarso (APRIL) at SIIA's 'Haze. Know it. Stop it.' exhibition.

 

The roundtable was followed by the launch of the SIIA’s ‘Haze. Know it. Stop it.’, a three-day exhibition that educate the Singapore public about the causes of transboundary haze, the plight of Indonesians living at “ground zero”, and the haze fighting measures in place. The event has brought together agroforestry companies and NGOs to address questions from the public. APRIL’s participation as a sponsor and exhibitor shows its commitment to partner with communities, governments and NGOs to develop lasting solutions to forest fires and haze.

Ian Wevell, APRIL’s fire-fighter in Riau province, said “we’re doing all we can not just to put out fires, but to prevent them starting in the first place, because the haze not only affects us. It affects the community around us."

Commenting on the roundtable and exhibition, APRIL’s Sustainbility Director, Dr. Petrus Gunarso applauded SIIA’s initiative as well as the involvement of a wide cross-section of stakeholders. “Despite the many perspectives represented, the roundtable discussion showed there is a good deal of common ground as to the path forward and desire to increase collaborative efforts to combat the causes of haze. This was very positive.”

Read about Professor Simon Tay’s “A personal journey through the haze” published in The Straits Times.

Read more about APRIL’s Efforts To Combat Land And Forest Fires and APRIL’s Pioneering  Village Fire Prevention Incentive Programme