The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act amendments introduce civil penalties of up to $10 million alongside a $20 million maximum criminal fine to give authorities flexible enforcement mechanisms. While all 24 debating MPs supported the bill, several scrutinized the 11-year gap since previous revisions and questioned the deterrence power of fixed fines versus percentage-of-turnover models. Minister Fu clarified that practical barriers in accessing foreign corporate accounts made turnover-based calculations unfeasible. Meanwhile, past cases involving four firms served legal notices in 2015 remain open, though the updated penalties cannot be applied retroactively to those investigations.
Key points
Turnover-based fines were ruled out due to practical obstacles in securing financial data…: Turnover-based fines were ruled out due to practical obstacles in securing financial data from foreign companies.
Parliament unanimously supported the legislative updates despite intense questioning over…: Parliament unanimously supported the legislative updates despite intense questioning over the decade-long delay in strengthening the law.
Ongoing investigations into four companies served notices in 2015 cannot be prosecuted un…: Ongoing investigations into four companies served notices in 2015 cannot be prosecuted under the new, higher penalty structure.
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SINGAPORE - Investigations remain open into the four companies issued legal notices under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act in 2015, although time has lapsed because of procedural issues, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Nov 4.
But three of the four firms have also been implicated in the 2026 haze episode, and their past actions will be considered as the authorities continue their probe into the current case, she added.
Fu gave this update in Parliament on the open cases under Singapore’s haze law, during a debate on a Bill to amend the legislation.
With the changes, which were passed after a six-hour debate, the authorities here will have more tools to investigate and act against firms linked to fires in the region.
All 24 MPs who spoke up supported the amendments, although they sought clarity from the minister on a range of issues.
Many MPs, including Poh Li-San (Sembawang West) and Non-Constituency MP Eileen Chong of the Workers’ Party, asked why it took 11 years to strengthen the law.
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