Arrest powers, criminal trials in absence of accused among proposed changes to Singapore’s haze laws

Under the proposed amendments, a trial can proceed even when parties suspected to be responsible for the haze are absent.

A man pictured against the Supreme Court and parliament buildings shrouded in haze, Oct 14, 2026. (File photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)

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SINGAPORE: Singapore may soon be able to arrest individuals suspected of committing haze-related offences and conduct trials in the absence of accused entities under proposed amendments to strengthen its haze law.

The changes aim to prevent entities from frustrating enforcement by remaining outside Singapore, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Wednesday (Nov 4).

The Transboundary Haze Pollution (Amendment) Bill was introduced and read a second time on Wednesday (Nov 4) under a Certificate of Urgency signed by the president, following Singapore's worst haze episode in more than a decade.

The certificate allows a proposed Bill to be introduced, debated and passed through all three readings in a single parliamentary sitting. More than 20 Members of Parliament (MPs) are set to speak at the debate on Wednesday.

In a press release, NEA said the amendments to the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) will strengthen Singapore's ability to investigate irresponsible burning, establish accountability, and strengthen enforcement against errant entities.

Singapore experienced haze from Sep 4 to Oct 25, with air quality reaching the unhealthy range on 33 days and the very unhealthy range on five days.

Haze from Indonesian forest and peatland fires blanketed parts of the region in recent weeks.

On Oct 25, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore could not simply exercise its enforcement powers in another jurisdiction .

Even after serving a notice, enforcement can remain difficult if the overseas company refuses to comply and none of its officers enters Singapore.

In her opening speech to the debate, Ms Fu said Singapore’s experience in investigating haze incidents has given it a better understanding of the practical challenges involved, and the changes needed to make Singapore’s laws more effective.

She said the government needed to strengthen its laws and act quickly, given the risk that evidence from ongoing investigations could be lost or altered over time.

“At the same time, we should be realistic. The haze episode this year reminds us just how complex this problem can be to resolve. Haze is inherently a transboundary problem,” she added.

“Fires can occur throughout the Southeast Asia region. Our ability to act against those that are responsible will continue to be constrained by the limits of our jurisdiction.”

She cautioned that the proposed changes would not guarantee successful prosecutions and that legislation alone would not solve the haze problem.

“But they will strengthen our ability to act to protect Singaporeans, including by imposing economic consequences on errant entities even where criminal prosecution remains difficult,” said Ms Fu.

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POWERS TO ARREST, HOLD TRIALS IN ABSENCE

Under the proposed changes, the director-general and authorised officers will be given powers of arrest in Singapore to secure the cooperation of persons of interest.

The courts will also be able to hear and determine cases in the absence of accused persons in specified circumstances.

Ms Fu said this would be consistent with existing court procedures where the court is satisfied that the relevant summons or notice has been duly served, the accused has been informed that the matter can proceed in his or her absence, and there is insufficient reason to adjourn the case.

The amendments would also allow legal documents to be served electronically, and through specified forms of substituted service such as publication in public media or on NEA’s website, in addition to existing modes.

“This will help address practical difficulties in serving notices and initiating formal processes involving foreign entities,” Ms Fu said.

“These changes do not guarantee that overseas entities will cooperate all the time. But they will remove procedural obstacles that have constrained our ability to proceed with investigations and legal processes.”

The amendments would also allow the authorities to intervene when there is a risk of haze pollution to Singapore, rather than when haze enters the country.

Singapore will focus its resources on fires that pose a “credible risk of haze” affecting the country, with NEA continuing to monitor indicators to assess such risks, said Ms Fu.

The agency will consider factors such as the distance of fires from Singapore, the duration and extent of burning, and prevailing wind directions and meteorological conditions.

The statutory defences available to companies will also be tightened to clarify what constitutes responsible behaviour.

The current Act provides entities with three defences: That the fire was due solely to a natural disaster or an act of war; that the fire was caused by another person acting without the accused’s knowledge; or that the entity had taken reasonable measures to prevent and fight the fire.

Under the amendments, entities will now have to prove that the fire was caused by another person acting without their knowledge and that they have taken reasonable measures to prevent and fight the fire.

“This recalibrated defence sends a strong signal of our expectations. Entities are expected to take sufficient care to avoid burning on their land. It will no longer be sufficient to simply claim that another person caused the fire,” Ms Fu said.

Singapore will continue working with its neighbours to strengthen regional cooperation and prevent fires at source, Ms Fu said, citing the joint task force to be established by Singapore and Indonesia to probe firms linked to forest fires.

“We welcome the steps taken by Indonesia on the ground to prioritise fire prevention as a long-term solution,” Ms Fu said.

“But we must also do what we can within our own jurisdiction, to protect our people from the harmful effects of haze.

“The amendments in the Bill will strengthen our ability to establish responsibility, intervene early, and impose meaningful consequences on errant entities.”

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根据拟议的修正案，即使涉嫌造成雾霾的当事人缺席，审判也可以进行。

2026年10月14日，一名男子站在笼罩在薄雾中的最高法院和国会大厦前。（资料照片：CNA/Wallace Woon）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：根据拟议的修正案，新加坡可能很快就能逮捕涉嫌犯有与雾霾相关的罪行的个人，并在被告缺席的情况下进行审判，以加强其雾霾法。

国家环境局（NEA）周三（11月4日）表示，这些改变旨在防止实体通过留在新加坡境外来阻挠执法。

在新加坡遭遇十多年来最严重的雾霾事件后，根据总统签署的紧急证书，《跨境烟霾污染（修正）法案》于周三（11 月 4 日）提出并进行了二读。

该证书允许一项法案提案在一次议会会议上完成所有三读程序并提交议会审议通过。超过20名议员将于周三在辩论中发言。

新加坡国家环境局在一份新闻稿中表示，对《跨境烟霾污染法》（THPA）的修订将加强新加坡调查不负责任的焚烧行为、追究责任以及加强对违规实体的执法力度的能力。

新加坡从 9 月 4 日至 10 月 25 日经历了雾霾天气，空气质量有 33 天达到不健康水平，5 天达到非常不健康水平。

最近几周，印尼森林和泥炭地火灾产生的烟雾笼罩了该地区的部分地区。

10月25日，新加坡永续发展及环境部长傅海燕表示，新加坡不能简单地在其他司法管辖区行使执法权。

即使发出通知，如果海外公司拒绝遵守且其任何官员都未进入新加坡，强制执行仍可能很困难。

傅女士在辩论的开幕致辞中表示，新加坡在调查雾霾事件方面的经验使其更好地了解了其中涉及的实际挑战，以及为使新加坡的法律更加有效而需要进行的改变。

她表示，鉴于正在进行的调查中的证据可能会随着时间的推移而丢失或更改，政府需要加强法律并迅速采取行动。

“与此同时，我们也应该务实。今年的雾霾事件提醒我们，解决这个问题有多么复杂。雾霾本质上是一个跨界问题，”她补充道。

“东南亚地区各地都可能发生火灾。我们追究肇事者责任的能力将继续受到我们管辖范围的限制。”

她提醒说，拟议的改革并不能保证成功起诉，而且单靠立法也无法解决雾霾问题。

傅女士表示：“但这些措施将增强我们保护新加坡人的能力，包括对违规实体施加经济处罚，即使刑事起诉仍然困难。”

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逮捕权、缺席审判权

根据拟议的变更，新加坡总干事和授权官员将被赋予逮捕权，以确保相关人员的合作。

在特定情况下，法院也可以在被告人缺席的情况下审理和裁决案件。

傅女士表示，如果法院确信相关传票或通知已妥善送达，被告已被告知案件可以在其缺席的情况下继续进行，并且没有充分的理由延期审理，那么这将符合现有的法院程序。

除了现有的送达方式外，这些修正案还将允许以电子方式送达法律文件，以及通过指定的替代送达方式，例如在公共媒体或国家环境局网站上发布。

傅女士表示：“这将有助于解决在向外国实体送达通知和启动正式程序方面遇到的实际困难。”

“这些改变并不能保证海外实体会一直配合，但它们将消除限制我们开展调查和法律程序的程序性障碍。”

这些修正案还将允许当局在新加坡面临雾霾污染风险时进行干预，而不是在雾霾进入该国时进行干预。

傅女士表示，新加坡将集中资源应对可能对该国造成“可信的烟霾风险”的火灾，国家环境局将继续监测各项指标以评估此类风险。

该机构将考虑火灾与新加坡的距离、燃烧的持续时间和范围、盛行风向和气象条件等因素。

法律还将加强对公司可援引的抗辩理由，以明确何为负责任的行为。

现行法律规定了三种抗辩理由：火灾完全是由于自然灾害或战争行为造成的；火灾是由他人未经被告知情而造成的；或者该实体已采取合理措施来预防和扑灭火灾。

根据修订后的规定，相关实体现在必须证明火灾是由他人未经其同意而造成的，并且他们已采取合理措施来预防和扑灭火灾。

傅女士表示：“这种重新调整后的辩护策略强烈表明了我们的期望。各方应尽到足够的注意义务，避免在其土地上发生火灾。仅仅声称火灾是他人造成的，已经远远不够了。”

傅海燕女士表示，新加坡将继续与邻国合作，加强区域合作，从源头上预防火灾。她还提到，新加坡和印度尼西亚将成立联合工作组，调查与森林火灾有关的公司。

傅女士表示：“我们欢迎印尼政府在实地采取措施，将防火作为长期解决方案的优先事项。”

“但是，我们也必须在我们自己的管辖范围内尽我们所能，保护我们的人民免受雾霾的有害影响。

“该法案的修正案将加强我们追究责任、及早干预并对违规实体施加实质性后果的能力。”

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