S'pore reveals names of 7 companies involved in haze-causing fires: Grace Fu

The National Environment Agency (NEA) will send preventive measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) to seven companies in Indonesia, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Friday (Oct. 16) at a press conference.

This comes after investigations have suggested that some of the haze experienced in Singapore orginated from fires on the lands of these companies.

The names of the seven companies will be shared with the public, Fu said.

Fu was speaking at the press conference with Minister for Education Desmond Lee and Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau.

More action to be taken where warranted: Fu

The seven companies are:

• PT Bumi Andalas Permai,
• PT Bumi Mekar Hijau,
• PT Paramitra Mulia Langgeng,
• PT Sumatera Alam Anugerah,
• PT SBA Wood Industries,
• PT Hutan Lestari Raya,
• PT Bangkanesia.

According to Fu, the preventive measure notices will inform these companies to:

• Deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of any fire on land owned or occupied by them,
• Discontinue or not commence any burning activities on such land,
• Submit to NEA their action plans to extinguish any fires on their lands and/or prevent their recurrence.

Fu said that NEA will issue preventive measure notices to more companies and consider other measures under the THPA if there are indications that they have caused fires that resulted in transboundary haze.

Fu also said that the government will continue to monitor the situation and the companies' responses to the notices.

Where warranted, it will take further action under the THPA based on information and evidence available.

Enacted in 2014, the THPA allows the Singapore government to issue a fine of up to S$100,000 to an entity found guilty of causing haze for every day or part of a day that there is haze pollution in Singapore.

If it is proved that the entity had failed to comply with preventive measures notice given in relation to the haze in Singapore, the government may impose an additional fine not exceeding S$50,000 for every day or part of a day that it fails to comply with the preventive measures notice.

The cap for fines imposed on an entity under the THPA is a total of S$2 million.

Seven companies located in Sumatra: Fu

In response to media questions, Fu revealed that the seven companies are located in Sumatra and were identified for the haze episode on Oct. 8 and 9.

The investigations relied on information from concession maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery, some which are open-sourced.

As to their owners, links and relationships, Fu said such information cannot be disclosed at this time as they have to be investigated.

On this, Fu said that lessons were learned from the 2015 case as to how evidence is gathered and how more can be found out about those responsible.

NEA previously said that investigations into four companies suspected of being involved in causing the 2015 haze episode are still ongoing.

Apart from announcing the issuance of the preventive measure notices, Fu also said that Singapore should be prepared for the ongoing haze episode to persist for some time.

However, some respite might come in three to four weeks as the inter-monsoon period begins around the end of October.