Key Takeaways
- • Ten Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry firms, including Wilmar International, First Resources and Bumitama Agri, received notices from the National Environment Agency (NEA) under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on Friday, Oct 23, 2026.
- • The notices mark the first time NEA has issued such notices since the Act took effect, and the first time it has served companies listed on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's BizFile portal, having previously targeted only unlisted firms.
- • Wilmar, First Resources and Bumitama said they will comply with NEA requests for documents and information, with Wilmar stating work was underway on its response.
- • The firms must disclose links to associated companies in Singapore and Indonesia, land concession locations, and fire prevention and firefighting measures during the dry season.
- • The move follows Senior Minister K Shanmugam's warning that Singapore would use every legal, regulatory and economic lever against companies responsible for the haze.
Summary
The National Environment Agency (NEA) served notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on 10 Singapore-registered companies on Friday, Oct 23, according to CNA. The recipients are in the palm oil or forestry business and own land concessions in Indonesia or have related companies that do, NEA said. Named recipients include Wilmar International, First Resources and Bumitama Agri, alongside Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Company, Asia Pulp & Paper Company (China), Golden Agri International, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea.
Three of the firms have publicly committed to comply. First Resources said in a Saturday filing that it would provide the requested documents and information "in accordance with the requirements set out therein" and would announce material developments. Wilmar said in a Friday filing that work was underway to comply, and Bumitama said on Saturday it would provide the requested information. The seven other recipients had not responded to CNA's requests for comment.
The notices represent a departure in enforcement. According to CNA, NEA had previously issued notices only to companies not listed on ACRA's BizFile portal, so serving listed firms is the first such step under the Act since it took effect. The notices follow Senior Minister K Shanmugam's warning that Singapore would deploy every legal, regulatory and economic lever against companies responsible for the haze.
Several recipients had already drawn scrutiny. The Singapore Exchange (SGX) sent queries in recent weeks to Bumitama Agri, Golden Agri-Resources, First Resources, Kencana Agri, Wilmar International, Indofood Agri Resources and TSH Resources, which owns TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea. Non-profit organisations had also flagged some of the firms.
Separately, the Singapore Environment Council said earlier this week that APP, an Indonesian paper firm registered in Singapore, had been placed under temporary green certification restrictions after three of its wood-fibre suppliers were linked to fires in Indonesia that caused haze. APP must file daily fire response reports and will be subject to strict monitoring of fire prevention and suppression on land managed by its suppliers.
Three of the firms have publicly committed to comply. First Resources said in a Saturday filing that it would provide the requested documents and information "in accordance with the requirements set out therein" and would announce material developments. Wilmar said in a Friday filing that work was underway to comply, and Bumitama said on Saturday it would provide the requested information. The seven other recipients had not responded to CNA's requests for comment.
The notices represent a departure in enforcement. According to CNA, NEA had previously issued notices only to companies not listed on ACRA's BizFile portal, so serving listed firms is the first such step under the Act since it took effect. The notices follow Senior Minister K Shanmugam's warning that Singapore would deploy every legal, regulatory and economic lever against companies responsible for the haze.
Several recipients had already drawn scrutiny. The Singapore Exchange (SGX) sent queries in recent weeks to Bumitama Agri, Golden Agri-Resources, First Resources, Kencana Agri, Wilmar International, Indofood Agri Resources and TSH Resources, which owns TSH Global Plantation and TSH Oversea. Non-profit organisations had also flagged some of the firms.
Separately, the Singapore Environment Council said earlier this week that APP, an Indonesian paper firm registered in Singapore, had been placed under temporary green certification restrictions after three of its wood-fibre suppliers were linked to fires in Indonesia that caused haze. APP must file daily fire response reports and will be subject to strict monitoring of fire prevention and suppression on land managed by its suppliers.
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