Kabut Asap, Singapura Berniat `Class Action`pada Korporasi Indonesia, kata Media Asing
Swimming-Singapore World Cup finals Cancelled Because of Haze
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
ASOSIASI Renang Singapura berniat mengajukan 'legal action' (langkah hukum) setelah kabut asap akibat kebakaran hutan di Indonesia mengakibatkan pembatalan malam final pertama pada seri Kejuaraan Dunia renang.
Prihatin terhadap potensi bahaya terhadap kesehatan para atlet renang, dewan federasi renang dunia FINA memutuskan pembatalan final pada Sabtu malam, meskipun indeks polusi masih di bawah level berbahaya tapi pertandingan final tetap dibatalkan.
Direktur eksekutif FINA Cornel Marculescu mengatakan jadwal final hari Minggu tidak berubah, tergantung pada kondisi cuaca.
Badan renang dunia mengumumkan pada Jumat bahwa pihaknya memutuskan untuk membatalkan final lomba jarak panjang dan memiliki rencana kontingensi untuk membatalkan seluruh sesi jika tingkat polusi memburuk.
Jose Raymond, wakil presiden Asosiasi Renang Singapura (SSA) mengatakan dalam sebuah pernyataan terpisah bahwa kabut asap merugikan pihaknya setelah membuat persiapan matang beberapa bulan sebelumnya, seperti dikutip Reuters yang dilansir MailOnline.
"Investasi dimasukkan ke dalam acara tersebut, melalui sponsor, waktu yang dihabiskan oleh staf dan relawan kami, dan upaya dari para atlet dan ofisial untuk bepergian ke Singapura tapi semuanya menjadi sia-sia," katanya.
"SSA akan mencari pertimbangan hukum dan mempertimbangkan bergabung dengan pihak lain dan individu dalam gugatan class action yang diajukan terhadap setiap perusahaan yang terdaftar di Singapura yang terkait dengan pembakaran hutan di Indonesia."
Menggunakan hasil pengukuran Indeks Standar Polutan (ISP) NEA, yang diambil setiap tiga jam, FINA mengatakan mereka akan membatalkan lomba jika kualitas udara melebihi 200, yang dinilai dalam radius "sangat tidak sehat".
Kejuaraan renang hingga Sabtu pagi tetap berlangsung seperti direncanakan, tapi indeks ISP naik sepanjang hari. Dua jam sebelum dimulainya final, indeks naik ke 190, sehingga FINA memutuskan untuk membatalkan final sesi malam.
"Dengan kabut yang disebabkan oleh kebakaran di Indonesia, kesehatan dan keselamatan semua atlet, tamu, pejabat, penonton, relawan dan staf tetap menjadi prioritas utama kami," kata Ang Peng Wee, ketua panitia penyelenggara.
"Oleh karena itu, dengan memburuknya indeks ISP, kami telah membuat keputusan untuk membatalkan final yang dijadwalkan pada Sabtu pukul 18:00 malam ini."
Singapura rutin menjadi penyelenggara tahunan dari seri lomba Piala Dunia sejak 2007 tapi belum pernah dibatalkan.
Kawasan Asia Tenggara telah menderita selama bertahun-tahun dari asap kiriman dari Indonesia ke negara-negara tetangganya akibat ulah para petani yang ingin membuka lahan pertanian.
Kebakaran makin memburuk tahun ini oleh efek dari fenomena cuaca El Nino, yang mengakibatkan kemarau panjang di Indonesia dan tanah mengering memicu api yang membakar hutan.
THE SINGAPORE Swimming Association considered legal action on Saturday after thick smog caused by forest fires in Indonesia led to the cancellation of the first night of finals at swimming's World Cup series.
Concerned about the potential health dangers to competitors, swimming's world governing body FINA decided to cancel Saturday's finals, even though pollution readings were still just below the levels they had set as the benchmark for continuing.
FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu said Sunday's schedule remained unchanged, depending on weather conditions.
The world body had already announced on Friday that it decided to cancel the longer distance events and had contingency plans to call off whole sessions if the pollution levels deteriorate.
Jose Raymond, a vice president of the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) said in a separate statement that the haze had destroyed months of hard work.
"The investment put into the event, through sponsors, time spent by our staff and volunteers, and the effort taken by athletes and officials to travel to Singapore have been wasted beyond measurement," he said.
"The SSA will seek legal advice and may consider joining other parties and individuals in any class action suit which is brought against any Singapore-listed company which is linked to the burning of forests in Indonesia."
Using the NEA's Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings, which are taken at three-hour intervals, FINA said they would cancel races if the air quality exceeded 200, which is deemed to be in the "very unhealthy" range.
Saturday morning's heats went ahead as planned but the PSI readings rose throughout the day. Two hours before the start of the finals, they had climbed to 190, so FINA decided to cancel the night session.
"With the haze caused by the fires in Indonesia, the health and safety of all athletes, guests, officials, spectators, volunteers and staff remain as our top priority," said Ang Peng Wee, chairman of the organising committee.
"Hence, with the deteriorating 3-hr PSI reading, we have made the decision to cancel the finals scheduled for 6pm this evening."
Singapore has been a regular stopover on swimming's annual global World Cup series since 2007 but has never had a session cancelled before.
Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smog caused by farmers in neighbouring Indonesia burning forests to clear their land for agriculture.
The fires have been exacerbated this year by the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon, as a prolonged dry season in Indonesia has parched the top soil, fuelling the flames.
