Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono apologized Monday to neighbouring countries badly affected by the haze from forest fires on Sumatra island, DPA reported. Yudhoyono extended the apology to Singapore and Malaysia in a press conference Monday evening after a cabinet meeting, and asked for both countries' understanding regarding the problem. "I apologize to our brothers in Singapore and Malaysia. Indonesia did not intend for this to happen and we take the responsibility to overcome this," a government website quoted Yudhoyono as saying. He added that there were human and natural factors at play, such as the wind direction that resulted in the haze blanketing Singapore and Malaysia. The president criticized the Riau provincial administration for being too late to counter the forest fires and warned some other provinces to take early precautions.
