Singapore’s government said Friday it will convene a specialist panel of law, audit and investigative firms to examine companies that may have contributed to transboundary haze, hours after the National Environment Agency issued mandatory information notices to ten Singapore-listed palm-oil and forestry groups under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.
The twin moves came as hourly air quality deteriorated across the island. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index in the west touched 108 by evening, with the central region crossing into the unhealthy range at 102, according to NEA data cited by local broadcasters. NEA warned that severe haze risk remained as hotspots persisted in southern Kalimantan and Sumatra.
What the panel will do
The Ministry of Law said the panel will help agencies gather evidence on whether firms failed to prevent or extinguish fires on concessions they own or control in Indonesia. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu told reporters the notices are a “next step” to establish facts before any prosecution.
Panel members will include external counsel, forensic accountants and investigators with experience in cross-border land records. The government has not published a deadline for the panel’s first findings, but officials said they want recommendations on whether civil or criminal tools under the 2014 haze law should be used.
Which companies received notices
NEA’s Friday notices went to ten Singapore-registered companies with palm-oil or forestry exposure, including Wilmar International, Golden Agri International, Bumitama Agri, First Resources and Asia Pulp & Paper entities, the agency said. Firms must supply maps of concessions, fire-prevention plans and details of firefighting during the dry season.
It was the first time NEA used the act against companies listed on Singapore’s corporate registry; earlier notices targeted Indonesian entities without BizFile profiles. NEA is also seeking additional documents from ten Indonesian concession holders warned last week.
Impact on the ground
Schools and employers across Singapore kept outdoor activities curtailed as PM2.5 readings rose in all five monitoring regions. NEA forecast the 24-hour PSI between 90 and 140 through the weekend, with winds expected to shift southwest or west from Sunday, potentially easing smoke transport.
Listed agribusinesses told investors they were reviewing the notices and cooperating, though several stressed that fires on third-party land must be verified before liability attaches. For households, the immediate concern is health: clinics reported higher walk-ins for respiratory symptoms in western towns near industrial estates.
Parliament is not in session, but opposition lawmakers said they would press for faster publication of concession maps already held by regulators. The government countered that premature release could compromise ongoing investigations the specialist panel is now tasked to support.