The Southeast Asian region experienced the worst haze crisis in history in 1997. The haze crisis was caused by massive fires in several regions especially the Indonesian islands of Sumatera and Kalimantan. It was reported that about 5 million hectares of land were burnt in 1997/1998. The haze crisis severely affected the economy of the countries of the region especially with regards to tourism, transport industries and the general health of the people. It has also psychologically haunted the people of the region, fearing its recurrence. The haze problem in the Southeast Asian region was very closely connected to the regional government drive for economic development. Many large oil palm companies and corporations were said to be responsible for deliberately starting the fire because it was the cheapest means of clearing the land for the cultivation of crops. This paper reports the findings of a comparative study on the distribution of hotspots, which indicate the presence of fire in the four different regions. The difference between the distributions of hotspots in the four different regions was closely related to the level of economic development of the regions. The paper also discusses the roles of companies and corporations in the modern economic system and relates them to the philosophy of capitalism, and a free market system and their impact on the environment. Finally it suggests a way to solve the fire and haze crisis in Southeast Asia and also a way to achieve sustainable development in the environment.
