Singapore is ready to use every lever at its disposal to hold those responsible for haze to account

SINGAPORE: Singapore recently signalled that it is taking this year’s severe transboundary haze problem more seriously, with a total of 10 companies in Indonesia responsible for the forest and peat fires causing the haze being issued Preventive Measure Notices.

On Monday afternoon (Oct 19), Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security & Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam emphasised the Government’s position to take robust measures against these firms and even others.

Speaking to journalists during a visit to Woodlands Checkpoint, he said, “They may think that it is hard to get evidence, and that they may think that they can escape scrutiny. But they should not underestimate the Singapore government's determination to act.”

The companies, he added, “cannot play hide and seek,” and Singapore is ready to exert pressure “on their bottom lines, including on their access to financing, and including on their standing with investors.”

As for its present laws, Singapore is also ready to amend them or even introduce new laws as needed, he added, saying that the matter will be pursued as long as it takes.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is in the Middle East this week on official visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, reiterated in a social media post later on Monday Singapore’s readiness to take legal action, using the same language as SM Shanmugam.

“We will pursue all available legal and regulatory avenues, and use every lever at our disposal to hold those responsible to account and exert pressure where it matters,” he said.

PM Wong had first announced on Oct 15 that the government is looking into the companies responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that have caused the problem, and on the following day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu identified the first seven companies responsible for the fires in Sumatra that contributed to the haze. 

Timeline of the haze problem

As early as May, a warning was issued by the National Environment Agency and Meteorological Service Singapore that haze was likely to occur between June and October of this year.

While haze has a regular occurrence, this year’s problem has been exacerbated by the Super El Niño’s unusually hot and dry conditions. 

Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) crossed into the Unhealthy range on Sep 4, reaching 101 in the Central Region.

By mid-September, forest and peatwood fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan continued, and the smoke from the fires caused Unhealthy PSI readings in all five regions in Singapore.

On Oct 9, with hotspots spiking in Sumatra, the 4-hour PSI figures climbed as high as 192, and the government began setting up mask distribution networks.

By Thursday last week (Oct 15), the 24-hour PSI in Singapore’s Western region reached the Very Unhealthy range, with a 212 reading at noon. /TISG

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