Singapore’s Parliament formally passed amendments to the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on November 4, expanding enforcement powers, sharply increasing fines and introducing tough measures against companies linked to air pollution caused by forest fires.
Under the amendments, offences under the Act are classified as arrestable offences. Singapore’s courts are also given legal powers to try defendants in their absence if they are overseas or cannot be contacted.
Fines facing companies that fail to comply with the rules will increase tenfold, to nearly US$800,000 a day, while the overall cap will rise to more than US$15 million.
The amendments also empower the Singapore government to require suspected companies to appoint independent private-sector assessors to investigate fires, business activities and related corporate links. The competent authorities may also impose restrictions on designated companies, including limiting or prohibiting their access to financial services in Singapore.
The firm legal measures follow weeks of haze pollution in Singapore from smoke drifting across the border from forest fires in Indonesia. By: Rithy
