PM Wong pushes for ASEAN-wide crackdown on firms behind forest fires
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called for stronger ASEAN-wide cooperation to investigate and hold companies responsible for forest fires accountable, urging member states to strengthen regional efforts to prevent the fires from recurring.Speaking at the 49th ASEAN Summit Retreat in Manila, the Philippines on Sunday (Nov 15), PM Wong said ASEAN should go beyond putting out existing fires and focus on preventing future incidents. "I'm sure we all agree that our focus and priority is not just to deal with the immediate issue and put out the fires, but to prevent a reoccurrence of this happening again," he said. "That must mean sending a very clear message to companies operating all over the region that they should not continue with this sort of practices, and they should move towards zero burning."This comes after forest fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan region affected air quality in Singapore in early September.