Singapore proposes amendments to allow arrests and trials in absentia for haze offences
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The government plans to give authorities new powers to arrest suspects and conduct court proceedings without the accused present, aiming to improve enforcement of its haze law.
Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that proposed amendments to the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act would permit arrests of individuals suspected of haze-related offences and allow courts to hear cases in the absence of accused parties under certain conditions. The changes, introduced under a Certificate of Urgency signed by the president, aim to address difficulties in serving notices and pursuing legal action against foreign entities that operate outside Singapore.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said the amendments would make all offences under the Act arrestable and give authorised officers the authority to secure cooperation from persons of interest. She noted that the courts could proceed when summonses have been properly served and there is no sufficient reason to adjourn the case.
The bill also expands service methods to include electronic delivery and publication on NEA’s website, and it tightens statutory defences by requiring companies to prove lack of knowledge and reasonable preventive measures. Fu explained that the revisions are intended to remove procedural obstacles that have limited investigations and legal processes.
In addition, the amendments would allow authorities to intervene when there is a credible risk of haze affecting Singapore, rather than waiting for haze to materialise. NEA will assess risk factors such as fire proximity, duration, and wind conditions. The government will continue regional cooperation, including a joint task force with Indonesia, to address forest fires at their source.
"These changes do not guarantee that overseas entities will cooperate all the time. But they will remove procedural obstacles that have constrained our ability to proceed with investigations and legal processes," Fu said.
"The amendments in the Bill will strengthen our ability to establish responsibility, intervene early, and impose meaningful consequences on errant entities," she added.