Key Takeaways
- • Five of the 10 Singapore-based companies served legal notices by the National Environment Agency (NEA) under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) have said they will cooperate with requests for information on their links to Indonesian fires.
- • Wilmar International, Bumitama Agri and First Resources confirmed via Singapore Exchange (SGX) filings that they received the notices and intend to comply, while Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) told Mothership it is cooperating with authorities.
- • Golden Agri International, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea had not yet responded to the notices as of the source report.
- • Non-compliant representatives face a fine of up to S$5,000, up to one month's jail, or both.
- • The notices follow NEA preventive measure notices issued on Oct. 16 and 19 to 10 Indonesian companies over fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Summary
Five of the 10 Singapore-based companies that received legal notices from the National Environment Agency under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act have said they will cooperate with NEA's requests for information on their links to fires in Indonesia, according to Mothership. The other five companies had not yet responded to the notices.
Wilmar International, Bumitama Agri and First Resources said in Singapore Exchange filings that they had received the notices and intend to comply. Wilmar made its announcement close to midnight on Oct. 23, a few hours after NEA issued a media release on the notices. First Resources followed at 1:15am on Oct. 24, saying it had agreed to provide the necessary details. Bumitama Agri and its subsidiaries announced later that day at 1:15pm that they would provide the requested documents and information. A spokesperson for Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) also told Mothership the company is cooperating with authorities, saying, "We are reviewing the notices and will respond to NEA as required."
The companies yet to respond are Golden Agri International Pte Ltd, Indofood Agri Resources Ltd, Kencana Agri Ltd, TSH Global Plantation Pte Ltd and TSH Oversea Pte Ltd. NEA said the 10 Singapore-based firms either own land concessions in Indonesia or have related companies that do. Through the notices, the agency is seeking details on their links to associated firms, their land concessions, fire prevention measures, and firefighting efforts by the firms or their associated companies on the ground.
The notices require the recipients to deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire on land outside Singapore that they own or occupy, to discontinue or not commence burning activities on such land, and to submit to NEA any plan of action to extinguish fires and prevent their spread or recurrence. Representatives of firms that do not comply face a fine of up to S$5,000, up to one month's jail, or both.
NEA had earlier issued preventive measure notices under the THPA on Oct. 16 and 19 to 10 Indonesian companies, including PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT SBA Wood Industries and PT Hutan Lestari Raya, over fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Wilmar International, Bumitama Agri and First Resources said in Singapore Exchange filings that they had received the notices and intend to comply. Wilmar made its announcement close to midnight on Oct. 23, a few hours after NEA issued a media release on the notices. First Resources followed at 1:15am on Oct. 24, saying it had agreed to provide the necessary details. Bumitama Agri and its subsidiaries announced later that day at 1:15pm that they would provide the requested documents and information. A spokesperson for Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) also told Mothership the company is cooperating with authorities, saying, "We are reviewing the notices and will respond to NEA as required."
The companies yet to respond are Golden Agri International Pte Ltd, Indofood Agri Resources Ltd, Kencana Agri Ltd, TSH Global Plantation Pte Ltd and TSH Oversea Pte Ltd. NEA said the 10 Singapore-based firms either own land concessions in Indonesia or have related companies that do. Through the notices, the agency is seeking details on their links to associated firms, their land concessions, fire prevention measures, and firefighting efforts by the firms or their associated companies on the ground.
The notices require the recipients to deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire on land outside Singapore that they own or occupy, to discontinue or not commence burning activities on such land, and to submit to NEA any plan of action to extinguish fires and prevent their spread or recurrence. Representatives of firms that do not comply face a fine of up to S$5,000, up to one month's jail, or both.
NEA had earlier issued preventive measure notices under the THPA on Oct. 16 and 19 to 10 Indonesian companies, including PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT SBA Wood Industries and PT Hutan Lestari Raya, over fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
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