Singapore 'keeping options open' on possible action under haze law, says Grace Fu

Singapore is "keeping our options open" under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) as haze continues to affect the Republic, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Wednesday (Oct 14).

The law criminalises conduct that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore.

When asked about possible prosecution against firms, Fu said Singapore was currently collecting data and would review it carefully.

Her comments came as Singapore stepped up measures to help residents cope with worsening air quality, with haze shelters set to open and N95 masks being distributed to vulnerable groups .

Schools have also begun scaling back outdoor activities as air quality deteriorates, while authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.

The measures come as Indonesia seeks to extinguish all forest and land fires within a month, with authorities expressing optimism that the blazes could be brought under control sooner as their intensity begins to decline.

"It's a very difficult year because of El Nino. The weather has been very dry, and we know that the issues are very complex," Fu said at a mask collection exercise at Yuhua Community Club.

"We wish them well, and we stand ready to assist them where we can."

Fu said Singapore would continue working with its regional partners to address the haze situation and look at longer-term solutions.

"We look forward to a discussion at the regional level, at the Asean level, along with our Asean counterparts," she said.

Fu reiterated Singapore's offer to help Indonesia tackle the fires but said there had been no update from Jakarta.

"We offer very general assistance in any form that they think is suitable and is needed. We want our assistance to be relevant, so we have basically made an open offer for assistance," she said.

Asked about comments by an Indonesian official that the country's forests also supply oxygen to Singapore , Fu stressed that climate issues are global in nature and require collective action.

"As part of the global community, all of us have to work with one another to ensure that we give the best condition to our people," she said.

In Indonesia, Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat said the intensity of the fires had already started to decline , according to Indonesian news agency Antara.

"Based on discussions with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the fires could be extinguished in the next few weeks," Jumhur said on Tuesday, according to Antara.

"The intensity is already starting to decline. The fires should be extinguished within a month," he added.

He was speaking at the Prasasti Indonesia Policy Forum 2026 in Jakarta.

However, firefighting efforts continue to face challenges, including poor visibility, which has hampered the use of water-bombing helicopters.

Indonesia is also weighing offers of assistance from neighbouring countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, as it battles fires that have fuelled haze and smog across the region.

helmy.saat@asiaone.com

新加坡永续发展及环境部长傅海燕周三（10月14日）表示，由于雾霾持续影响新加坡，新加坡将根据《跨境烟霾污染法》（THPA）“保持多种选择”。

新加坡法律将造成或加剧雾霾污染的行为定为犯罪行为。

当被问及是否会对相关公司提起诉讼时，傅先生表示，新加坡目前正在收集数据，并将仔细审查。

在她发表这番言论之际，新加坡加大了帮助居民应对日益恶化的空气质量的措施，包括开放雾霾避难所，并向弱势群体分发 ​​N95 口罩。

随着空气质量恶化，学校也开始缩减户外活动，当局将继续密切监测情况。

印尼正努力在一个月内扑灭所有森林和土地火灾，当局表示乐观，认为随着火势强度开始下降，火势可以更快地得到控制。

“由于厄尔尼诺现象，今年情况非常艰难。天气非常干燥，我们知道问题非常复杂，”傅先生在裕华社区俱乐部的一次口罩募捐活动中说道。

“我们祝愿他们一切顺利，并随时准备在力所能及的范围内帮助他们。”

傅海燕表示，新加坡将继续与区域伙伴合作，解决雾霾问题，并寻求更长远的解决方案。

她表示：“我们期待在区域层面，在东盟层面，与我们的东盟伙伴进行讨论。”

傅海燕重申了新加坡愿意帮助印尼应对火灾的提议，但表示雅加达方面尚未提供任何最新消息。

“我们提供各种形式的援助，只要他们认为合适且需要即可。我们希望提供的援助切合实际，所以我们基本上是公开提供援助，”她说。

当被问及印尼官员关于该国森林也为新加坡提供氧气的言论时，傅海燕强调，气候问题本质上是全球性的，需要集体行动。

“作为全球大家庭的一份子，我们都必须互相合作，确保为我们的人民提供最好的条件，”她说。

据印尼安塔拉通讯社报道，印尼环境部长朱姆胡尔·希达亚特表示，火灾强度已经开始减弱。

据安塔拉通讯社报道，朱姆胡尔周二表示：“根据与国家减灾署（BNPB）的讨论，火灾可能在未来几周内被扑灭。”

“火势已经开始减弱。火灾应该会在一个月内被扑灭，”他补充道。

他是在雅加达举行的 2026 年 Prasasti 印度尼西亚政策论坛上发表讲话的。

然而，消防工作仍然面临诸多挑战，包括能见度差，这阻碍了水弹直升机的使用。

印尼也在权衡邻国（包括新加坡和马来西亚）提供的援助，因为该国正在与加剧该地区雾霾的火灾作斗争。

helmy.saat@asiaone.com