Singapore Parliament passes stronger haze law with higher fines
Singapore's Parliament approved amendments to the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act that raised the maximum fine to S$20 million, introduced civil penalties and granted authorities new investigatory powers. Earlier, lawmakers had been reviewing proposals to strengthen penalties and expand enforcement tools, including the ability to investigate firms linked to regional fires and impose commercial restrictions. Experts cautioned that effective enforcement, regional cooperation and access to evidence remain essential for the law to curb cross-border haze.
The latest amendments were passed after a series of parliamentary debates that examined how higher fines and broader powers could deter polluters. The earlier proposals, reported in previous weeks, called for fines up to S$20 million and new investigative mechanisms, reflecting growing concern over haze originating from neighboring countries.
