Singapore moves to tighten haze law as Parliament probes gaps

Singapore is preparing changes to its transboundary haze law as Parliament turns to long-running enforcement gaps exposed by this year’s severe smoke episode from fires in Indonesia. Sustainability Minister Grace Fu said the main obstacles are collecting cross-border evidence and getting overseas companies to cooperate, especially when their officers stay outside Singapore. The government has issued Section 9 notices to 10 Indonesian firms to push preventive action and Section 10 notices to 10 Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry companies to obtain information for investigations. MPs have also pressed for answers on why four 2015 cases are still unresolved and whether stronger powers are needed to trace ownership and compel records.