Not govt's intention to find scapegoats, Shanmugam tells haze-linked companies under investigation

It is not the government's intention to find scapegoats, Senior Minister K Shanmugam told 10 haze-linked companies under investigation.

Speaking at a media doorstop on Oct. 28, Shanmugam, who is also Chairman of the Homefront Crisis Management Committee, shared that he had assured the companies that the "Singapore government will do what is right".

If responsibility is found, those responsible will be held to account. And if there is no wrongdoing found, the government will proceed on that basis as well.

Outlined expectations

The government had met with the senior leadership of these companies on Oct. 28 to outline what the government expects of the companies and how they will be assessed under the notices.

The 10 companies had previously been issued notices by NEA under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

During the meeting, the government said that each company will have to engage an investigative team of specialists and provide them with full access to information, documents, premises and people on their operations, corporate relationships and supply chains.

"We are determined to act"

Shanmugam told the companies that the point of this exercise is "not to find scapegoats".

"I told them we are determined to act, and that we are giving full attention to this issue, and that we will pursue all available legal and regulatory avenues, and we will use all the powers we have to establish responsibility where there is responsibility, and we will hold those responsible to account," he stated.

"And if the facts show that there is no wrongdoing, we will proceed on that basis as well."

He also expressed that the government expects full cooperation from the firms.

In response, the companies stated that they would "cooperate fully", said Shanmugam.

Others may be responsible

He noted that the government has thus far met with companies registered in Singapore, and there may be others responsible for the haze as well.

"I don't want to give the impression that they are the primary cause or the sole cause of these issues," he said. 

Asked if companies shared any challenges they might face in the investigative process, Shanmugam said that the companies pledged their cooperation, "and that's how the meeting ended."

He also revealed that the names of the companies were made public knowledge for "reasons of transparency".

"If they are cooperating with the government, we think we ought to make that clear to the public.

"And those who are not cooperating – we should also make clear to the public.