5 of 10 S'pore-based firms served legal notices over haze links say they will cooperate with NEA

Five of the 10 Singapore-based companies that were served legal notices by the National Environment Agency under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) have said they will cooperate with requests for information on their links to fires in Indonesia.

Will comply with requests

Three of the firms, Wilmar International, Bumitama Agri and First Resources, said in filings on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) that they had received the notices and intend to comply.

Wilmar International made its announcement close to midnight on Oct. 23, a few hours after NEA issued a media release on the legal notices.

First Resources followed at 1:15am on Oct. 24, saying it had agreed to provide the necessary details.

Bumitama Agri and its subsidiaries subsequently announced at 1:15pm the same day that they would provide the requested documents and information to NEA.

A spokesperson from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) also told Mothership they are cooperating with the authorities.

"We are reviewing the notices and will respond to NEA as required," the spokesperson said.

The other five companies have yet to respond to the notices:

• Golden Agri International Pte Ltd
• Indofood Agri Resources Ltd
• Kencana Agri Ltd
• TSH Global Plantation Pte Ltd
• TSH Oversea Pte Ltd

Legal notices

NEA said the 10 firms either own land concessions in Indonesia, or have related companies that do.

Through the notices, it is seeking details on the companies' links to associated firms, their land concessions, fire prevention measures, and firefighting efforts by the firms or their associated companies on the ground.

Representatives of firms that do not comply face a fine of up to S$5,000, up to one month's jail, or both.

NEA had also earlier sent preventive measure notices (PMNs) under the THPA to 10 companies in Indonesia for fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan on Oct. 16 and 19.

The 10 companies are:

1. PT Bumi Andalas Permai (BAP)
2. PT Bumi Mekar Hijau (BMH)
3. PT SBA Wood Industries (SBAWI)
4. PT Paramitra Mulia Langgeng (PML)
5. PT Sumatera Alam Anugerah (SAA)
6. PT Hutan Lestari Raya (HLR)
7. PT Bangkanesia (BKN)
8. PT Buana Megatama Jaya (BMJ)
9. PT Mananjung Hayak (MH)
10. PT Baratama Putra Perkasa (BPP)

The notices require the 10 foreign companies to:

• Deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire on land situated outside of Singapore owned or occupied by them;
• Discontinue or not commence any burning activities on such land; and
• Submit to NEA any plan of action to extinguish any fire on such land to prevent its spread or recurrence.