Key Takeaways
- • All 10 Singapore-based oil palm and forestry firms that received NEA legal notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act have acknowledged the agency's requests for information on their links to Indonesian fires.
- • Seven firms have signaled cooperation, while Indofood Agri Resources, TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea did not explicitly say they would cooperate.
- • Section 10 notices carry penalties for representatives of non-compliant firms of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to one month, or both.
- • Under the Act, entities found guilty of causing or contributing to haze can be fined up to $100,000 per day of pollution, capped at $2 million.
- • The notices were issued on the night of Oct 23, following earlier preventive-measures notices issued under Section 9 on Oct 16 and 19 to 10 Indonesian companies.
Summary
All 10 Singapore-based companies that received notices under the Republic's haze law have acknowledged requests from the National Environment Agency (NEA) for information on their links to fires in Indonesia, according to The Straits Times. Three firms, Indofood Agri Resources, TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea, did not explicitly state they would cooperate with the agency's request, which carries penalties for representatives of non-compliant firms.
The NEA issued the legal notices on the night of Oct 23 to Asia Pulp & Paper Company, Asia Pulp & Paper Company (China), Bumitama Agri, Golden Agri International, First Resources, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Global Plantation, TSH Oversea and Wilmar International. All ten are in the oil palm or forestry business and either own land concessions in Indonesia or have related companies that do. The notices were issued under Section 10 of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), with documents and information due by Nov 2.
Wilmar International was the first to announce it would comply, in a filing close to midnight on Oct 23. First Resources followed at 1.15am on Oct 24. Bumitama Agri, signed off by executive chairman and chief executive Lim Gunawan Hariyanto, said in a filing at 1.15pm on Oct 24 that it would provide the requested materials. Asia Pulp & Paper told The Straits Times at about 6.30pm that day that it was cooperating with the authorities, and Golden Agri International, a subsidiary of Golden Agri-Resources, also said it would cooperate.
TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea, the last two to respond, acknowledged the notices through their Malaysian parent, TSH Resources, in an SGX filing on Oct 26. The filing said the subsidiaries were notified on Oct 23 and that the company was "reviewing the notice and will engage with the agency accordingly." Kencana Agri, owned by the Maknawi family, said it would cooperate fully with the NEA and would issue further announcements on material developments; the filing was signed by Ratna Maknawi. Indofood Agri Resources said it received the notice on Oct 23 and would provide details on material updates; its secretary Mak Mei Yook signed the filing.
Under the Act, representatives of non-compliant firms face fines of up to $5,000, jail terms of up to one month, or both. Entities found guilty of causing or contributing to haze can be fined up to $100,000 for every day the pollution persists, capped at $2 million. The Oct 23 notices followed preventive-measures notices issued under Section 9 to 10 Indonesian companies on Oct 16 and 19, which requested information on fire prevention and suppression on their lands; there are no penalties for failing to respond to those.
The NEA issued the legal notices on the night of Oct 23 to Asia Pulp & Paper Company, Asia Pulp & Paper Company (China), Bumitama Agri, Golden Agri International, First Resources, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Global Plantation, TSH Oversea and Wilmar International. All ten are in the oil palm or forestry business and either own land concessions in Indonesia or have related companies that do. The notices were issued under Section 10 of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), with documents and information due by Nov 2.
Wilmar International was the first to announce it would comply, in a filing close to midnight on Oct 23. First Resources followed at 1.15am on Oct 24. Bumitama Agri, signed off by executive chairman and chief executive Lim Gunawan Hariyanto, said in a filing at 1.15pm on Oct 24 that it would provide the requested materials. Asia Pulp & Paper told The Straits Times at about 6.30pm that day that it was cooperating with the authorities, and Golden Agri International, a subsidiary of Golden Agri-Resources, also said it would cooperate.
TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea, the last two to respond, acknowledged the notices through their Malaysian parent, TSH Resources, in an SGX filing on Oct 26. The filing said the subsidiaries were notified on Oct 23 and that the company was "reviewing the notice and will engage with the agency accordingly." Kencana Agri, owned by the Maknawi family, said it would cooperate fully with the NEA and would issue further announcements on material developments; the filing was signed by Ratna Maknawi. Indofood Agri Resources said it received the notice on Oct 23 and would provide details on material updates; its secretary Mak Mei Yook signed the filing.
Under the Act, representatives of non-compliant firms face fines of up to $5,000, jail terms of up to one month, or both. Entities found guilty of causing or contributing to haze can be fined up to $100,000 for every day the pollution persists, capped at $2 million. The Oct 23 notices followed preventive-measures notices issued under Section 9 to 10 Indonesian companies on Oct 16 and 19, which requested information on fire prevention and suppression on their lands; there are no penalties for failing to respond to those.
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