Rebuttal to Indonesian student Yuna Seah on haze

Here is my rebuttal to Yuna Seah's Facebook post which criticized Singaporeans.

1. Singaporeans are ignorant
Before this week, we didn't know much about PSI, PM10 vs PM2.5, real and fake N95, etc. We were unprepared. We’re less ignorant now.

2. Singapore news is biased
News everywhere is biased and panders to its audience. Singaporean, Indonesian, Malaysian, and even Western media do this, so this is irrelevant. Just as the media can choose to print rubbish, people can choose not to believe it.

3. Health is the main priority
It is the main priority, hence the complaining and finger-pointing. No one is complaining that the haze ruined their hair. We’re complaining that the haze is ruining our lungs.

4. Indonesia contributes to “Singapore’s economies” (sic), Singapore does not have resources, it will be “good game” if Indonesia stops “transitting” (sic)
Singapore also contributes a lot to Indonesia’s economy. Singapore may not have resources, but Indonesia does not have capital. Singapore can invest the capital anywhere, but we choose to invest in our friendly neighbor. If Indonesia stops trading with Singapore, it will suffer too.

5. When did Singapore ever thank Indonesia?
Oct 4, 2009: A 54-member medical team from Singapore arrived Sunday on the Indonesian island of Sumatra to help with recovery efforts in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, the defence ministry said. http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20091004-171687.html

Feb 19, 2005: Singapore's Tsunami aid close to $150 million; Red Cross Team to go to Meulaboh. http://singaporeangle.blogspot.sg/2005/02/singapores-tsunami-aid-close-to-150.html

Dec 2004: In collaboration with the Singapore SOKA Association, we delivered some 1.4 million kilograms of relief supplies worth more than S$3 million and S$300,000 in medical supplies to Sri Lanka, Aceh and Nias. Items included medical supplies, food, water, surgical gloves and masks, body bags, and blankets. NTUC Fairprice donated the bulk of our food supplies worth about S$400,000. http://www.mercyrelief.org/web/contents/Contents.aspx?ContId=123

How does Indonesia thank Singapore?

6. Indonesia blocks Singapore from natural disasters
I am sure Indonesians did not make a strategic decision to sacrifice itself by locating its land around Singapore, just as Singapore did not choose to nestle itself between Malaysia and Indonesia. We can’t take credit for something we didn't do.

7. Indonesia’s PSI is worse
The PSI is worse by choice, not by circumstance. Singapore has offered many times to help by sending planes, equipment, experts and medical teams, but Jakarta has repeatedly refused.

8. The companies are owned by Singaporeans and Malaysians
That does not absolve or indict the owners. It definitely warrants investigation to figure out the extent of culpability, but at this point, ownership cannot be the sole criteria for blame. For example, when you invest in Nike or buy a Nike product, should Nike hire workers in unsatisfactory conditions, that decision was made by management, not the owners or investors. Furthermore, to date, the bulk of the companies named are Indonesian-owned.

9. Farmers earned the money in the rightful way
It is not rightful to harm others to benefit yourself. No one is allowed pollute shared resources like water and air. It is illegal in Indonesia. There is nothing right about this. These big companies may offer money to the farmers to burn the land, but the farmers can also reject the offer.