Singapore moves to penalise three Indonesian firms over haze

SINGAPORE — Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) has sent notices to three Indonesian companies over forest and land fires in Kalimantan, according to Republika, which cited a statement from the NEA reported by CNA on Monday, 19 October 2026.

The notices name PT Buana Megatama Jaya, PT Mananjung Hayak and PT Baratama Putra Perkasa. According to Republika, the fires on their concession land may have contributed to the transboundary haze crisis in Singapore. The companies have been ordered to deploy firefighting personnel, stop and prevent burning on their concessions and surrounding areas, and submit fire-fighting and prevention plans to the NEA.

"NEA remains committed to taking enforcement action against companies found responsible for causing transboundary haze in Singapore," the NEA said in its statement, Republika reported.

Republika said the NEA had earlier sent similar notices to seven companies operating in Sumatra. Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Sustainability, Grace Fu, said the government had not yet received responses from those seven firms. She said Singapore would continue to monitor their efforts to put out fires and prevent new ones.

Fu said Singapore would investigate all companies found responsible and would not hesitate to take further action under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA). Senior Minister K Shanmugam said Singapore would use all its legal, regulatory and economic tools against companies responsible for the haze.

Republika did not report any figures on the area burned or on the number of people affected. It is not clear from the source what penalties, if any, may follow.

Background

According to Republika, the NEA has issued notices under the THPA to ten companies in total. Republika reported that the ten firms are suspected of breaching the Act. The THPA allows Singapore to act against companies whose fires cause haze in the city-state.

Republika's report was based on the NEA statement, Fu's remarks at Woodlands Checkpoint, and comments from Shanmugam.