firms linked to fires in the region<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\nThe amended Transboundary Haze Pollution Act will also increase financial and commercial penalties for those found guilty, and allow Singapore to take action even before the pollutive smoke reaches its shores.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the need for the amendments in Parliament on Nov 4, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said the haze is not an act of nature but rather a consequence of human action, driven by errant firms\u2019 irresponsible practices in the pursuit of profit.<\/p>\n
To avoid losing critical evidence in ongoing investigations, Singapore must quickly strengthen its laws to trace corporate relationships, penalise those responsible, and stop haze pollution before it reaches the Republic, she added.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve this, the amendments had been tabled under a certificate of urgency, which is signed by the President, and allows for changes to be debated and voted on in the same sitting, instead of taking days.<\/p>\n
The Bill to change the law was passed after a debate that lasted about six hours, during which 24 MPs spoke up.<\/p>\n
They posed questions on whether the financial penalties on errant firms was enough of a deterrent, and asked if Singapore could do more to tackle the root cause of the problem. All 24 MPs rose in support of the Bill.<\/p>\n
Before the changes were passed, the Act targeted those responsible for causing or condoning fires. It could only be triggered if the haze causes the Pollutant Standards Index \u2013 a measure of air quality in Singapore \u2013 to stay in the unhealthy range in any part of the country for 24 hours or more.<\/p>\n