Singapore-listed First Resources, Bumitama Agri point to El Nino, say some fires began beyond their boundaries

Palm oil producer First Resources said the current hotspots are largely concentrated in regions where the group does not operate, while Bumitama Agri said a number of incidents appear to have developed outside the areas directly managed by the group.

Motorists drive through haze from wildfires in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Oct 14, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Arief Rahman Septian Prathama)

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SINGAPORE: Singapore-listed palm oil producers First Resources and Bumitama Agri pointed to this year's El Nino event and fires spreading from regions where it does not operate in response to queries about its links to the ongoing haze.

The two companies, along with First Borneo Plantations, were identified in an Oct 5 Greenpeace report as being associated with companies whose plantation concessions are contributing to the haze.

Plantation concessions are areas of land that a company is allowed to use or develop, likely for palm oil planting in this case.

Palm oil stocks slid when trading on the Singapore Exchange opened on Friday (Oct 16), with First Resources shares losing as much as 9.1 per cent to S$3.71 as at 9.20 am, before later inching back up to close at S$3.80.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Also on the Singapore Exchange, Bumitama Agri was down 7.5 per cent to an intraday low of S$1.73, before settling at S$1.78 at market close. Bumitama Agri requested for a trading halt during the lunch break, and requested to lift the halt after the close. Amid worsening haze conditions and intensifying scrutiny, First Resources on Thursday said effective fire risk management remains a top priority for the group. The company added that it implements robust fire prevention, monitoring and firefighting measures throughout its operations. "In recent months, fire risk across West Kalimantan has been significantly heightened due to prolonged dry conditions associated with the 2026 El Nino event," said First Resources.

Also on the Singapore Exchange, Bumitama Agri was down 7.5 per cent to an intraday low of S$1.73, before settling at S$1.78 at market close. Bumitama Agri requested for a trading halt during the lunch break, and requested to lift the halt after the close.

Amid worsening haze conditions and intensifying scrutiny, First Resources on Thursday said effective fire risk management remains a top priority for the group.

The company added that it implements robust fire prevention, monitoring and firefighting measures throughout its operations.

"In recent months, fire risk across West Kalimantan has been significantly heightened due to prolonged dry conditions associated with the 2026 El Nino event," said First Resources.

It added that the number of hotspots has declined sharply over the last few weeks.

Current hotspots, said First Resources, are "largely concentrated in regions where the group does not operate".

The company will work with the government, local communities and other stakeholders to mitigate fire risks and support suppression efforts, it added.

In a separate statement released on SGX on Thursday, First Resources said there have been cases of fires originating outside its boundaries spreading into areas under its management.

Some of these fires were "too massive and fast-spreading to be fully contained" despite its efforts to do so, the company said.

"The presence of hotspots within a concession should not, in itself, be interpreted as an indication that the concession holder caused, initiated or condoned a fire," it added.

Similarly, Bumitama Agri said a number of incidents appear to have developed outside the areas directly managed by the group before spreading across surrounding landscapes.

"Based on the internal observations and preliminary investigations currently available to the group, no evidence has been established linking the group’s operations with initiation of the fires under investigations and to the haze in question," executive chairman and CEO Lim Gunawan Hariyanto said in a statement published on SGX.

He said fire prevention and management are longstanding priorities for Bumitama, and its approach includes early detection, preparedness, suppression and recovery.

Fire risks are monitored through satellite-based hotspot tracking, 24-hour field monitoring and hourly patrols, artificial intelligence-enabled closed-circuit television and thermal-imaging drones, he said.

Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) said it has engaged listed issuers with agricultural operations and plantations in Indonesia to seek information, including whether their activities may have contributed to the haze and the measures they are taking in response.

SGX RegCo said listed companies are expected to disclose material information in a timely and transparent manner and keep stakeholders informed as the situation develops. It added that it would take appropriate regulatory action if companies fail to meet their disclosure obligations.

CNA has reached out to First Borneo Plantations with queries, but the company has not responded.

POSSIBILITY OF LEGAL ACTION?

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday said Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia.

"Where warranted, we will take action under Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, and explore joint action with other countries," he said in a social media post.

The Act, which came into effect in 2014, allows authorities to take legal action against companies responsible for causing or contributing to haze pollution in Singapore, even if their activities take place overseas.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Wednesday that Singapore was keeping its options open on taking action under the Act, while collecting and reviewing data on the situation.

In 2015, the National Environment Agency (NEA) identified fires on concession lands associated with six companies and issued legal notices to them under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

Investigations into four of the six companies remain ongoing, NEA said in response to CNA's queries this week.

"As such, NEA is unable to disclose further details," a spokesperson said.

The companies are PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Woods Industries and PT Rimba Hutani Mas.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said on Thursday that President Prabowo Subianto has approved foreign assistance to tackle forest and land fires that have worsened the regional haze crisis , according to local media reports.

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棕榈油生产商 First Resources 表示，目前的热点地区主要集中在该集团未开展业务的地区，而 Bumitama Agri 则表示，许多事件似乎发生在该集团直接管理区域之外。

2026 年 10 月 14 日，印度尼西亚中加里曼丹省，驾车者驾车穿过野火造成的烟雾。（照片：路透社/Arief Rahman Septian Prathama）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：在被问及与持续的烟霾有关联时，新加坡上市的棕榈油生产商 First Resources 和 Bumitama Agri 指出，今年的厄尔尼诺现象以及从其未开展业务的地区蔓延的火灾是造成烟霾的原因。

绿色和平组织 10 月 5 日的一份报告指出，这两家公司以及第一婆罗洲种植园与一些种植园特许经营权导致雾霾的公司有关联。

种植园特许权是指公司被允许使用或开发的土地区域，在本例中很可能是用于种植棕榈油。

周五（10 月 16 日）新加坡交易所开盘时，棕榈油股下跌，第一资源公司股价在上午 9 点 20 分一度下跌 9.1% 至 3.71 新元，之后小幅回升，最终收于 3.80 新元。

CNA游戏猜词游戏：逐行破解单词；流行词游戏：用给定的字母组成单词；迷你数独：小巧的谜题，强大的脑力挑战；迷你填字游戏：小网格，大挑战；单词搜索：尽可能多地找出单词。显示更多 显示更少 此外，在新加坡交易所，Bumitama Agri股价下跌7.5%，盘中低点至1.73新元，最终收于1.78新元。Bumitama Agri在午休期间申请暂停交易，并在收盘后申请恢复交易。鉴于雾霾加剧和监管力度加大，First Resources周四表示，有效的火灾风险管理仍然是集团的首要任务。该公司补充说，其在所有运营环节都实施了严格的防火、监测和灭火措施。First Resources表示：“近几个月来，由于与2026年厄尔尼诺现象相关的持续干旱，西加里曼丹的火灾风险显著增加。”

在新加坡交易所，Bumitama Agri股价下跌7.5%，盘中一度跌至1.73新元的低点，最终收于1.78新元。Bumitama Agri在午休期间申请暂停交易，并在收盘后申请恢复交易。

在雾霾情况日益恶化和审查力度加大的情况下，第一资源公司周四表示，有效的火灾风险管理仍然是该集团的首要任务。

该公司还补充说，其运营过程中实施了强有力的防火、监控和灭火措施。

“近几个月来，由于与 2026 年厄尔尼诺现象相关的持续干旱，西加里曼丹的火灾风险显著增加，”First Resources 表示。

报告还指出，过去几周热点地区的数量已大幅下降。

第一资源公司表示，目前的热点地区“主要集中在该集团没有开展业务的地区”。

该公司还表示，将与政府、当地社区和其他利益相关者合作，以降低火灾风险并支持灭火工作。

第一资源公司周四在新加坡交易所发布的另一份声明中表示，曾发生过火灾从其边界外蔓延到其管理区域的情况。

该公司表示，尽管他们尽了最大努力，但其中一些火灾“规模太大、蔓延太快，无法完全控制”。

“特许经营区内出现热点本身不应被解释为特许经营者造成、引发或纵容火灾的迹象，”声明补充道。

同样，Bumitama Agri 表示，许多事件似乎是在该组织直接管理区域之外发生的，然后蔓延到周围的地区。

“根据集团目前掌握的内部观察和初步调查，尚未发现任何证据表明集团的运营与正在调查的火灾的起因以及相关烟雾有关，”执行主席兼首席执行官林古纳万·哈里扬托在新加坡交易所发表的一份声明中表示。

他表示，防火和管理一直是 Bumitama 的长期优先事项，其方法包括早期发现、准备、扑灭和恢复。

他表示，火灾风险的监测手段包括基于卫星的热点跟踪、24 小时现场监测和每小时巡逻、人工智能闭路电视和热成像无人机。

新加坡交易所监管公司（SGX RegCo）表示，已与在印度尼西亚拥有农业经营和种植园的上市公司接洽，以了解相关信息，包括他们的活动是否可能导致雾霾，以及他们正在采取哪些应对措施。

新加坡交易所监管公司（SGX RegCo）表示，上市公司应及时、透明地披露重大信息，并随着事态发展及时向利益相关者通报情况。该公司还表示，如果公司未能履行信息披露义务，将采取适当的监管措施。

CNA已就此事联系First Borneo Plantations公司，但该公司尚未作出回应。

是否有可能采取法律行动？

新加坡总理黄循财周四表示，新加坡正在调查哪些公司可能对印尼的森林和泥炭地火灾负有责任。

他在社交媒体上发帖称：“在必要情况下，我们将根据新加坡的《跨境烟霾污染法》采取行动，并探讨与其他国家采取联合行动。”

该法案于 2014 年生效，允许当局对造成或加剧新加坡雾霾污染的公司采取法律行动，即使这些公司的活动发生在海外。

新加坡永续发展及环境部长傅海燕周三表示，新加坡将根据该法案采取相应行动，同时收集和审查相关数据。

2015 年，国家环境局 (NEA) 发现与六家公司相关的特许经营土地上发生火灾，并根据《跨境烟霾污染法》向这些公司发出法律通知。

新加坡国家环境局本周在回复亚洲新闻台的询问时表示，对六家公司中的四家的调查仍在进行中。

“因此，国家环境局无法透露更多细节，”一位发言人表示。

这些公司是 PT Bumi Andalas Permai、PT Bumi Mekar Hijau、PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Woods Industries 和 PT Rimba Hutani Mas。

据当地媒体报道，印尼外交部长阿曼纳塔·纳西尔周四表示，总统普拉博沃·苏比安托已批准外国援助，以应对加剧该地区雾霾危机的森林和土地火灾。

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