The Transboundary Haze Pollution (Amendment) Bill was passed unanimously in Singapore's parliament after a six-hour legislative debate. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu confirmed that the National Environment Agency will apply its widened assessment and prosecution powers in a targeted manner. These measures target offending entities, non-compliant firms, and related commercial networks contributing to regional air pollution. Senior Minister K. Shanmugam added that private legal firms were appointed to lead cross-border inquiries to bypass the entry barriers foreign jurisdictions impose on official state bodies.
Key points
Singapore's updated haze legislation broadens regulatory authority but remains limited by…: Singapore's updated haze legislation broadens regulatory authority but remains limited by sovereign cross-border enforcement boundaries.
Regulatory bodies will focus scrutiny on repeat offenders, non-compliant firms, and affil…: Regulatory bodies will focus scrutiny on repeat offenders, non-compliant firms, and affiliated businesses operating within contributing commercial sectors.
Using private legal firms for overseas probes helps investigators secure local access tha…: Using private legal firms for overseas probes helps investigators secure local access that would otherwise be refused to foreign state agencies.
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The Transboundary Haze Pollution (Amendment) Bill was passed unanimously after a debate that lasted about six hours and involved 24 MPs.
SINGAPORE: The enhancements to Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) are not a silver bullet for tackling haze pollution, and international cooperation remains crucial, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Wednesday (Nov 4).
In closing the debate in parliament on the Bill, Ms Fu addressed a range of concerns from Members of Parliament, including how the expanded powers would be exercised and their potential impact on businesses.
A total of 24 MPs – 14 from the People's Action Party (PAP), seven from the Workers' Party (WP) and three Nominated MPs – sought clarifications about the proposed changes to the law.
“The THPA is not a silver bullet. It is one of many tools we must use to address the transboundary haze situation,” she said of the law that first came into force in 2014.
The Bill was passed unanimously after a debate that lasted about six hours.
Operating out of Tilonia, Rajasthan, Barefoot College equips rural women from marginalised backgrounds with hands-on technical skills through its residential Solar Mamas programme. By replacing hazardous kerosene with clean solar electricity, these grassroots engineers provide reliable light to off-grid villages across Africa and beyond. Their local maintenance workshops establish lasting community infrastructure while empowering women who previously lacked formal education.
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