Singapore weighs haze prosecutions as air quality worsens

Singapore is investigating potential corporate responsibility for fires in neighboring Indonesia that have caused a severe air pollution crisis. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced this on Facebook, vowing to act under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act if companies are found responsible. The haze has led to schools closing and a surge in respiratory complaints across Southeast Asia, with Singapore ranked the world's most polluted major city by air quality monitoring firm IQAir.

Wong stated that, where appropriate, Singapore will take action against these companies and explore joint action with other countries. However, legal experts have warned that pursuing such companies is challenging due to the need for cooperation from foreign authorities and difficulties in establishing responsibility. The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, enacted in 2014, allows for targeting overseas companies whose activities contribute to unhealthy haze levels in Singapore, but its enforcement has been problematic.