Singapore collecting data on haze, will ‘keep its options open’ on taking legal action: Grace Fu

[SINGAPORE] Singapore is “keeping its options open” on whether it will take action against errant companies under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Oct 14.

“We are collecting the data now, and we will review them carefully,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a mask distribution exercise at Yuhua SMC, where she is MP.

“We hope that the Indonesian authorities are able to contain the fires. It’s very difficult year because of El Nino,” said Fu, referring to the weather phenomenon that results in drier, hotter weather in equatorial Asean countries.

“We are keeping our options open and will give due consideration to the data that we’re collecting, and we will share with you in due course,” she added.

The Straits Times reported on Oct 12 that the country has faced several haze episodes that crossed the threshold for its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to be breached, since air quality in Singapore first dipped into unhealthy levels on Sept 4.

The law, enacted in 2014, targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires if the haze causes the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), a measure of air quality here, to stay in the unhealthy range in any part of Singapore for 24 hours or more. Air quality is considered unhealthy when PSI levels are 101 and above.

Satellite information, wind speed and direction and meteorological information are used to determine if the smoke from a fire is likely to move in the direction of Singapore.

Those guilty under the Act can be fined up to S$100,000 a day, capped at a total of S$2 million.

Fu added: “The weather has been very dry, and we know that the issues are very complex. We wish them well, and we stand ready to assist them where they can.”

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She said Singapore remains ready to offer to help Indonesia, and there has not been any update from the Indonesian side so far.

Fu said Singapore has made an “open offer of assistance” to Indonesia, in any form that the country thinks is suitable and is needed to manage the fire situation.

Fu added: “And also, we look forward to a discussion at the regional level, at the Asean level, along with our Asean counterparts.”

Fu had on Oct 10 said that Singapore stands ready to assist Indonesia amid worsening haze conditions and forest fires. She said then that she had been in touch with Indonesia’s Minister of Environment Jumhur Hidayat to offer her support and express appreciation for his efforts to contain the forest fires.

Subsequently on Oct 13, Jumhur said the Indonesian government weighs offers of firefighting assistance from neighbouring countries before deciding whether to accept them. He added that Indonesia was “curating” the proposals before deciding whether to accept them.

The Indonesian environment minister had also said the country expects to extinguish its forest fires within a month.

Fu said she “sincerely hopes” that will be the case. “It’s a difficult task given the current climate conditions, but we wish that they are able to achieve their objective.”

The head of Indonesia’s government communications agency Syahganda Nainggolan had also on Oct 10 said that Indonesia’s forests supply oxygen to Malaysia and Singapore when there is no haze.

Asked for her response to his comments, Fu said: “I think all the global climate issues are global in nature, so we always urge collective action on all parties, as part of the global community.

“All of us have to work with one another to ensure that we give the best conditions to our people.”

Fu’s latest remarks come as the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) here breached the very unhealthy range in the west at 9 pm, with a reading of 203.

It is the first time during the ongoing haze episode that air quality deteriorated to such levels.

To help people cope with the pollution, the Government said that masks will be distributed to vulnerable Singaporeans from Oct 14, and air-conditioned rooms in community clubs and some Residents’ Committee centres will open for residents to seek respite in.

The People’s Association (PA) grassroots organisations will start distributing N95 masks to eligible Singaporeans, including seniors, pregnant women, children and teenagers, and people with medical conditions such as asthma.

To complement PA’s distribution, mask vending machines will also be made available at 37 public transport hubs and social service offices.

The authorities had commenced the N95 mask distribution exercise earlier than expected.

On Oct 9, they said that such efforts will begin when PSI levels breached the 201 threshold denoting ‘very unhealthy’ air.

But it started the exercise before this happened.

Asked why the Government decided to roll out these efforts earlier, Fu said the hourly readings of PM2.5 – the dominant pollutant during periods of transboundary haze – had spiked during the day, particularly in western Singapore.

The PM2.5 reading soared to the very high range of 284 in the west, with the central, east and south in the high range.

PSI readings incorporate PM2.5 concentration data.

“Our forecast is that it is likely to continue spiking… So I think it’s just about being cautious and therefore activating the plan earlier,” she said.

As at 8.20pm on Oct 14, several residents, including elderly and primary school students, were seen collecting their N95 masks from Yuhua CC’s office.

Fu added that it will take some time for all 37 mask vending machines to be deployed at social service offices and transport hubs.

“We urge patience on the part of Singaporeans, and we will as quickly as possible bring the mask to every part of the country as quickly as we can.” THE STRAITS TIMES