Singapore examines companies’ possible role in Indonesian fires as haze worsens

Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for forest and peatland fires in Indonesia as haze worsens across the city-state, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday, October 15. He said Singapore could act under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act where warranted and explore joint action with other countries. No company was identified and no legal action was announced.

Wong said an extended dry period had worsened the haze. CNA reported that Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index reached 212 in the west on October 15, its highest reading this year. The hourly PM2.5 reading in western Singapore reached 288 at 3pm on October 14, CNA reported, the country’s highest since 2015.

How Singapore could act under its haze law

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, in force since September 2014, allows Singapore authorities to pursue companies responsible for causing or contributing to haze pollution in Singapore even when their activities take place overseas, according to CNA. Wong’s statement leaves any use of that power conditional on what Singapore establishes about the fires and the companies involved.

The government had already been collecting and reviewing haze data. On October 14, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore was keeping its options open on action under the Act, The Business Times reported. Wong’s statement the next day specified that the government was looking into which companies may be responsible and was considering joint action with other countries.

Firefighting assistance and protection from haze

Fu said Singapore had offered Indonesia assistance and was ready to discuss what help it could provide. At the time of her October 14 remarks, she said there had been no update from the Indonesian side. The Business Times also reported that Indonesia’s environment minister said on October 13 that the government was weighing offers of firefighting assistance from neighbouring countries and expected to extinguish its fires within a month.

On October 15, CNA reported that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had approved foreign assistance to tackle the fires, citing Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir as reported by local media. CNA also reported that N95 or equivalent masks were being distributed to vulnerable Singaporeans and that air-conditioned shelters were available at community clubs and selected residents’ network and residents’ committee centres amid the haze.