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Terrorism and the haze both a scourge we’d be better off without.
It’s quite weird to be talking about these two topics in one sitting, they’re very different although they’re both harmful and poisonous to the region.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean says that it is important for Singapore and Indonesia to work together in combatting these two vastly different elements.
Mr Teo is on a work visit to Jakarta and attended a dinner hosted by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan.
Indonesia’s VP had mixed feelings about Singapore helping and the entire haze crisis in general, however Indonesia extended their gratitude to Singapore for their assistance in the recent forest fires and both ministers agreed on the need of implementing preventive measures from next year onwards.
On the agenda was also the Flight Information Region (FIR). Singapore had been in control of regional airspace above the Riau islands, Batam, Bintan, Tanjung Pinang and the Natuna Islands. Mr Teo reiterated that the FIR issue was a technical one based on aviation safety, and was not an issue of sovereignty. Singapore’s main concern is to ensure the safety and security of aircraft passing through the very busy airspace covered by the FIR.
Mr Teo and Mr Luhut also acknowledged the longstanding ties and close cooperation between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the Singapore Armed Forces. Both ministers said they hoped the close cooperation between the two armed forces would strengthen further.
So, in short – Singapore and Indonesia will work together and agree that preventive measures are important to cull and prevent forest fires. They’ve also discussed airspace, and talked about improving the ties between both our armed forces, a good move to quell further ISIS or terror related activities in the region.
[plinker]
