Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has done what most global leaders today find hard to do - to humble himself and his nation before their neighbors for a clear and visible wrongdoing. On Monday, Mr Yudhoyono formally apologised for the smoke haze that is now choking Singapore and Malaysia.

"As the president, I apologise and ask for the understanding of our friends in Singapore and Malaysia," Mr Yudhoyono said in a press briefing in Jakarta. "We will continue to take responsibility to deal with what's happening right now."

Indonesia Humbles Itself Before Singapore, Malaysia, Says Sorry For The Smoke Haze Caused By Raging Forest Fires

The environmental crisis, which first captured the global populace's attention last week when farmers in Indonesia illegally started fires to clear land in Sumatra. They were at first linked to the slash-and-burn blazes, but the farmers were found to have no linkages or associations to any of the eight companies the Indonesian government suspects are responsible for the fires, police said.

"We arrested two farmers in Riau who were clearing their land by burning. They were not working for anyone but just clearing their own land," Agus Rianto, deputy spokesman for the national police, said.

Nonetheless, the raging forest fires which had gone out of control has choked Singapore, sending on Friday its air pollution index to hit dangerous levels.

"There should be a thorough investigation. In my analysis, there are both natural and human factors," Mr Yudhoyono said.

Read: Singapore Air Pollution: Citizens Improvise Amid Dwindling Surgical, Gas Masks

Then on Sunday, Malaysia was forced to place two districts in the southern Johor state under a state of emergency because the hazardous smoke haze has reached the shores of Malaysia.

Read: Smoke Haze From Indonesia Forest Fires Moves Away from Singapore, Now Hangs Over Malaysia

The smoke menace is not only jeopardising the health of the two countries' populace but is likewise threatening its tourism and businesses, a consequence that could be bigger compared to the 1997 haze crisis which cost an estimated $9 billion.

As of Monday, Indonesian authorities continued to fight the fires over Riau province, deploying a third water-bombing helicopter, alongside two planes to create artificial rain, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman at Indonesia's disaster management agency, told Bloomberg News.

Meantime, initial investigations have pointed out that eight plantation companies owned by Malaysian investors was the source of the forest fires.

"The ministry is still gathering more evidence and verification in the field. The fires are, for sure, on their concessions," Indonesia's Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya said. "I will immediately meet my Malaysian counterpart to inform him of the findings and seek ways to resolve the current issue and stop recurrence in the future," he said.

The alleged companies involved are PT Langgam Inti Hibrida, PT Bumi Reksa Nusa Sejati, PT Tunggal Mitra Plantation, PT Udaya Loh Denawi, PT Adei Plantation, PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa, PT Multi Gambut Industri, and PT Mustika Agro Lestari.

Under Indonesian environment law, causing illegal forest fires face a penalty of 10-year maximum imprisonment as well as fines of up to US$504,000.