Parliament to discuss haze, proposed COE changes and public healthcare disruptions

SINGAPORE: The transboundary haze and efforts to hold companies accountable for forest fires in Indonesia will be in focus when parliament sits on Tuesday (Nov 3).

Members of Parliament have filed more than 50 questions on the haze, including whether Singapore’s laws are effective in tackling the recurring problem and why investigations into four companies over the 2015 haze remain unresolved after 11 years.

MPs also filed questions on proposed changes to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system, the hours-long system disruption across public healthcare clusters and the safeguards against child abuse following the death of an eight-month-old baby.

According to the order paper released on Monday, MPs are seeking answers on the enforcement of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), the economic and health impact of the haze, as well as measures to protect students and outdoor workers.

Singapore’s air quality has been affected by transboundary haze since September, prompting the authorities to step up efforts to tackle the pollution and strengthen enforcement.

These include setting up a joint task force with Indonesia to investigate firms linked to forest fires, issuing notices to Singapore-based firms for the first time under the THPA, and considering amendments to existing legislation and new laws where necessary.

MP Tin Pei Ling (PAP-Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) asked what actions have been taken to hold companies directly and indirectly responsible for the fires in Indonesia accountable, and what Singapore is doing at the bilateral and regional levels to address the haze.

MP Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied GRC) sought an update on investigations launched in 2015 into four companies for possible THPA violations, and the specific obstacles that have prevented the cases from being resolved after 11 years.

MP Sharael Taha (PAP-Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) asked whether the government would establish a coordinated framework involving the relevant agencies to investigate companies linked to transboundary haze, trace their ultimate owners and financial relationships, and pursue accountability.

MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang GRC) asked how many Early Childhood Development Agency-licensed preschools lack air-conditioned indoor spaces and how the agency verifies their readiness to deal with the haze.

Parliament will also hear an adjournment motion, filed by MP He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang GRC), on strengthening Singapore’s role in tackling transboundary haze.

PROPOSED COE CHANGES

MPs also sought clarification on proposed changes to the COE system, including their impact on car affordability and whether rebates would benefit buyers.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) last month proposed merging categories A and B COEs for cars into a single category, alongside a system of surcharges and rebates pegged to a vehicle’s open market value.

MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang SMC) asked what market distortion the proposed change is intended to correct, and how the government would assess whether it restores meaningful differentiation between mass-market and higher-value cars.

MP Jessica Tan (PAP-East Coast GRC) asked whether the COE review would assess affordability for families and small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on cars or commercial vehicles.

She also wanted to know whether measures would be considered to support those priced out of car ownership by market-driven COE prices.

MP Edward Chia (PAP-Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) asked whether LTA has set the proposed fee-and-rebate as a percentage of the COE price instead of fixed amounts, and what safeguards will ensure that rebates reach buyers and are not absorbed into dealers’ selling prices.

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