Singapore targets 10 local firms in widened haze-fire crackdown
What's new: For the first time under its haze law, Singapore ordered local firms to hand over records or face fines or jail.
Singapore widened its transboundary haze case on Friday by issuing legal notices to 10 Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry firms, including Wilmar International, Golden Agri International and Asia Pulp & Paper entities. The National Environment Agency is demanding records on the companies' links to Indonesian concession holders, the location of those concessions, and fire-prevention and firefighting steps taken during the dry season. The move follows earlier preventive notices to 10 Indonesian companies tied to fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Under Section 10 of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, failing to respond can bring a fine of up to S$5,000, up to one month in jail, or both.