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Follow our live coverage here.<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n JAKARTA<\/span> \u2013 Protests have erupted across parts of Indonesia as frustration grows over the government\u2019s handling of widespread forest and land fires, with demonstrators demanding stronger firefighting efforts, tougher action against companies responsible for the blazes and greater protection for affected communities.<\/p>\n The growing public anger comes as Indonesia battles one of its worst forest fire seasons in years, with an El Nino-driven drought<\/span><\/a> leaving vast areas of forest and peatland highly flammable.<\/p>\n The number of respiratory illness cases linked to the fires has surged to 283,270 across seven Indonesian provinces as at Oct 13, more than double the 113,336 recorded as at Sept 9, according to Reuters, citing Health Ministry data.<\/p>\n The haze has also spread across South-east Asia.<\/p>\n In Singapore, the one-hour PM2.5 reading<\/span><\/a> reached 284 micrograms per cubic metre in the western part of the island on Oct 14, entering the National Environment Agency\u2019s \u201cvery high\u201d band. Schools in several Malaysian states have been forced to close<\/span><\/a> because of the pollution.<\/p>\n On Oct 15, protesters took to the streets in two towns in Central Kalimantan, on the Indonesian part of Borneo, demanding stronger government action to tackle the fires.<\/p>\n