Key Takeaways
- • On 16 October 2026, NEA served Preventive Measures Notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on seven companies in Sumatra, Indonesia, ordering them to deploy firefighters, stop burning and submit fire-suppression plans; these are the first such notices reported since 2015.
- • WP MP Kenneth Tiong welcomed the notices and urged action against the firms "starting with those registered in Singapore", noting the THPA has produced no reported prosecution or civil claim in the 12 years since it was passed.
- • Tiong filed five parliamentary questions, including how many Singapore-registered companies hold Indonesian concessions sanctioned this year and whether money-laundering offences could apply under the anti-money-laundering law covering proceeds of illegal land clearing abroad.
- • Grace Fu said the companies' Singapore links had not yet been established and that the list would be released later; the 24-hour PSI hit 229, a 2026 high, on 16 October.
- • Tiong proposed a review of the THPA's S$2 million fine cap, household N95 distribution, air-conditioned classrooms and a Singapore-based civil right of action for Indonesian plaintiffs.
Summary
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has served Preventive Measures Notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) on seven companies in Sumatra, Indonesia, according to Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, who announced the move at a press conference on 16 October 2026. The notices require the companies to deploy firefighters, stop burning and submit plans to extinguish existing fires and prevent recurrence. NEA identified the firms through satellite imagery and meteorological data, linking them to haze episodes affecting Singapore on 8 and 9 October. Fu did not say whether the companies were Singaporean or Indonesian and said the list would be released later, adding that not all necessary information lies within Singapore's jurisdiction.
Workers' Party MP for Aljunied GRC Kenneth Tiong welcomed the notices in a Facebook post that evening, saying they were the first such notices reported since 2015 and urging action against the firms "starting with those registered in Singapore." He noted that no prosecution or civil claim under the THPA has been reported since the Act was passed 12 years ago, and that in February Fu told Parliament investigations into four companies begun after the 2015 haze remained open. Tiong has filed five parliamentary questions for the next sitting, including how many Singapore-registered companies own or control Indonesian concessions sanctioned this year, and whether each will be investigated. He also asked NEA to set timelines for the seven cases and publish outcomes.
On financial flows, Tiong noted that since November 2024 Singapore's anti-money-laundering law has covered proceeds of illegal land clearing abroad, and urged the Government to examine whether money-laundering offences could apply so profits from unlawful burning can be traced. He cited agencies' claims of more than S$17 million following the June 2024 oil spill and asked for similar cost recovery for each haze episode. He suggested companies listed on the Singapore Exchange or borrowing from Singapore banks publish concession maps, and that people in Kalimantan and Sumatra harmed by Singapore-registered companies should be able to sue in Singapore courts. He also said the THPA's fine cap of S$2 million should be reviewed, as the Government had said in 2014 it would do.
Tiong called for an N95 mask supply to every household, with door delivery for those unable to queue, and coverage for outdoor workers. Fu said about 10 per cent of eligible residents had collected masks since distribution began on 14 October, and that CNA reported long queues and temporary stock shortages, with Fu stating stocks were sufficient. Tiong also asked the Ministry of Education whether classrooms will be air-conditioned when the 24-hour PSI exceeds 100, and urged hourly PM2.5 readings become the primary gauge.
On regional diplomacy, Tiong said the haze "is no longer a domestic Indonesian problem" and welcomed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's recent orders to revoke permits and replace the disaster agency head, while calling for those orders to be implemented on the ground. He urged Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to speak with Prabowo and Singapore to back Malaysia at the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in November. As a last resort, he asked whether the Government would prepare a case against Indonesia under UNCLOS before the 2027 dry season. Fu warned that the PSI could exceed 300 depending on weather, with relief expected in three to four weeks around the inter-monsoon period. Malaysia's foreign minister has said Malaysia has no plans for legal action or a diplomatic note over the haze.
Workers' Party MP for Aljunied GRC Kenneth Tiong welcomed the notices in a Facebook post that evening, saying they were the first such notices reported since 2015 and urging action against the firms "starting with those registered in Singapore." He noted that no prosecution or civil claim under the THPA has been reported since the Act was passed 12 years ago, and that in February Fu told Parliament investigations into four companies begun after the 2015 haze remained open. Tiong has filed five parliamentary questions for the next sitting, including how many Singapore-registered companies own or control Indonesian concessions sanctioned this year, and whether each will be investigated. He also asked NEA to set timelines for the seven cases and publish outcomes.
On financial flows, Tiong noted that since November 2024 Singapore's anti-money-laundering law has covered proceeds of illegal land clearing abroad, and urged the Government to examine whether money-laundering offences could apply so profits from unlawful burning can be traced. He cited agencies' claims of more than S$17 million following the June 2024 oil spill and asked for similar cost recovery for each haze episode. He suggested companies listed on the Singapore Exchange or borrowing from Singapore banks publish concession maps, and that people in Kalimantan and Sumatra harmed by Singapore-registered companies should be able to sue in Singapore courts. He also said the THPA's fine cap of S$2 million should be reviewed, as the Government had said in 2014 it would do.
Tiong called for an N95 mask supply to every household, with door delivery for those unable to queue, and coverage for outdoor workers. Fu said about 10 per cent of eligible residents had collected masks since distribution began on 14 October, and that CNA reported long queues and temporary stock shortages, with Fu stating stocks were sufficient. Tiong also asked the Ministry of Education whether classrooms will be air-conditioned when the 24-hour PSI exceeds 100, and urged hourly PM2.5 readings become the primary gauge.
On regional diplomacy, Tiong said the haze "is no longer a domestic Indonesian problem" and welcomed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's recent orders to revoke permits and replace the disaster agency head, while calling for those orders to be implemented on the ground. He urged Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to speak with Prabowo and Singapore to back Malaysia at the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in November. As a last resort, he asked whether the Government would prepare a case against Indonesia under UNCLOS before the 2027 dry season. Fu warned that the PSI could exceed 300 depending on weather, with relief expected in three to four weeks around the inter-monsoon period. Malaysia's foreign minister has said Malaysia has no plans for legal action or a diplomatic note over the haze.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.