'Shiver in our shoes? That's not the Singapore approach': Shanmugam on pursuing Indonesian haze-linked firms

Singapore will not shy away from taking action against errant companies linked to ongoing wildfires in Indonesia that have blanketed several Southeast Asian nations in hazardous haze, Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said.

Asked by the media during a visit to Woodlands Checkpoint about the potential diplomatic implications if Singapore chooses to pursue legal action, he said: "Our people are suffering. What do these experts think we are supposed to do? Shiver in our shoes before we take any action to protect our own people? That's not the Singapore approach."

He stressed that Singapore does not approach issues that way.

"If we think like that, there will be no Singapore," adding that the Government does not foresee any bilateral issues.

Shanmugam pointed out that Indonesians are suffering as well, and that it is in also in their interest to deal with the companies that are causing the fires.

Turning to what Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had said earlier, Shanmugam noted that the president and his administration have emphasised that they want to tackle the issue.

"Our actions against companies which we consider are responsible, are aligned with the broad policies as announced by the Indonesian administration under President Prabowo," Shanmugam said.

He added that Singapore hopes to get full cooperation from Indonesia in going after the companies, reiterating that Singapore has also offered its full cooperation in helping to put out the fires.

'They cannot play hide and seek'

At the same session with the media, the Senior Minister also warned that the Singapore Government would use "every legal and regulatory lever" at its disposal to exert pressure where it matters.

This, he said, includes the firms' bottom lines, access to financing, and their standing with investors.

On the matter of accountability, Shanmugam said that the Government will look beyond individual concession holders to larger corporate groups and the people who ultimately control them, as it steps up efforts to hold potentially responsible parties accountable.

He cited Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which investigations showed buys from three companies that the National Environment Agency (NEA) has issued notices to.

The senior minister said the authorities would investigate these links further, and cautioned that companies should not be able to evade responsibility in Singapore by relying on different corporate structures.

"They cannot play hide and seek with different corporate structures," Shanmugam added.

新加坡高级部长尚穆根表示，新加坡将毫不犹豫地对与印尼持续山火有关的违规公司采取行动，这场山火已经使东南亚多个国家笼罩在有害的烟霾之中。

在访问兀兰关卡期间，当被媒体问及如果新加坡选择采取法律行动可能产生的外交影响时，他表示：“我们的人民正在遭受苦难。这些专家认为我们应该怎么做？在采取任何行动保护我们自己的人民之前，我们应该瑟瑟发抖吗？这不是新加坡的做法。”

他强调新加坡不会以这种方式处理问题。

“如果我们这样想，新加坡就不会存在了，”并补充说，政府预计不会出现任何双边问题。

尚穆根指出，印尼人民也遭受了苦难，追究引发火灾的公司的责任也符合他们的利益。

谈到印尼总统普拉博沃·苏比安托早些时候的讲话，尚穆根指出，总统及其政府强调他们希望解决这个问题。

尚穆根表示：“我们对那些我们认为负有责任的公司采取的行动，与普拉博沃总统领导下的印尼政府宣布的总体政策是一致的。”

他还补充说，新加坡希望在追究这些公司的责任时得到印尼的全力配合，并重申新加坡也已表示愿意全力配合，帮助扑灭火灾。

“他们玩不了捉迷藏。”

在同一场媒体见面会上，这位高级部长还警告说，新加坡政府将动用一切法律和监管手段，在关键之处施加压力。

他表示，这包括公司的盈利状况、融资渠道以及在投资者中的地位。

关于问责问题，尚穆根表示，政府将不再只关注个别特许经营者，而是会关注更大的企业集团以及最终控制这些集团的人，因为政府将加大力度追究潜在责任方的责任。

他以亚洲浆纸业（APP）为例，调查显示该公司从三家国家环境局（NEA）已发出通知的公司采购产品。

这位高级部长表示，当局将进一步调查这些关联，并警告说，企业不应依靠不同的公司结构来逃避在新加坡的责任。

“他们不能和不同的公司结构玩捉迷藏，”尚穆根补充道。