Singapore Hits 12th Straight Day of Unhealthy Air as PM Wong Threatens Legal Action Over Indonesian Fires

Singapore has now gone 12 consecutive days with unhealthy air, its longest stretch since the 2015 haze crisis. The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) has stayed in the unhealthy range since Oct. 5.

On Friday, Oct. 16, the central region's 24-hour PSI reached 229 at 3 p.m., the highest reading this year. At 5 p.m. the western region read 205 and the eastern region 203. Both are in the "very unhealthy" band, which starts at 201. The southern region read 183 and the northern region 160.

One-hour PM2.5 concentrations hit 166 micrograms per cubic metre in central Singapore at 5 p.m. The year's highest one-hour reading so far was 288 in the west on Oct. 14.

Smoke from Kalimantan

Singapore's National Environment Agency says winds are carrying smoke from fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan region toward the city-state. Malaysia is affected too. According to IQAir's live ranking, Singapore topped the list of the world's most polluted major cities on Friday, with Kuala Lumpur second and Jakarta eighth.

Indonesia's dry-season fires are routine. This year they are worse because a strong El Niño has brought drought. Experts say deforestation and drained peatlands have also stripped fire resistance from landscapes that once held up better.

In East Java, four people died on Thursday, Oct. 15, fighting fires in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia's forestry ministry said. Two others were seriously burned and are receiving treatment. Schools have closed and respiratory complaints have surged in the region.

What the haze has shut down

The disruption is concrete:

• Seletar Airport has logged 16 diversions because of low visibility, Changi Airport Group and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore told CNBC. Seletar and Changi both remain operational.
• The ISCA Run, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17 at Gardens by the Bay, was canceled. Almost 3,000 people were registered, including children in a Family Run.
• Singapore's public sports operator closed all outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities it manages on Friday.
• Marina Bay Sands suspended outdoor experiences that involve prolonged exposure and is handing out masks and air purifiers.
• Local media report outdoor restaurants and hawker centers are losing business. Grab says it is distributing masks and has issued advisories to its platform workers.

The timing is awkward. Singapore is hosting International Cyber Week, which has drawn a record 15,000-plus visitors from more than 100 countries. Digital Development Minister Josephine Teo told CNBC the haze was "not the best way to welcome our international guests."

The legal threat

In a social media post on Oct. 15, Wong said the government is investigating companies that may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires. "Where warranted, we will take action under Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, and also explore joint action with other countries," he said. He gave no company names or timeline.

The 2014 law lets Singapore go after companies whose activities overseas cause or contribute to unhealthy haze in the city-state. Under the law, a company can be sanctioned if PSI stays unhealthy for 24 hours or more. A conviction carries a fine of up to S$100,000 per day, capped at S$2 million. Environment Minister Grace Fu said on Oct. 14 the government is collecting haze data to review its options under the Act.

The record is thin. Singapore's investigations into four Indonesian companies over the 2015 haze remain open. That case strained relations with Jakarta at the time.

Legal experts have cautioned that pursuing companies tied to the smoke is hard, because investigations depend on cooperation from foreign authorities. Singapore has no plantations or forests of its own, though several companies with concessions in Indonesia are reportedly based in the city-state.

Wong acknowledged the limits. "We cannot control the weather or the winds, nor can we directly control what happens beyond our borders," he said. "But we will do everything we can to protect Singaporeans, while working with our neighbours to address the underlying causes of the haze."

Jakarta and the region

An official at Indonesia's national police investigations agency said on Wednesday, Oct. 14 that police are probing companies responsible for the fires. The official named none.

Teo said Singapore has been in close contact with Indonesian officials and stands ready to help. Malaysia's Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan told CNBC on Wednesday that the haze needs a coordinated response across Southeast Asia. He said Malaysia has offered water bombers and other resources, and called for an ASEAN solution.

What comes next

The next test is whether Wong's investigation produces a named company and a charge, or whether it follows the 2015 case into a long stall. Grace Fu's data review under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act is underway. Indonesian police have yet to identify any firm.

No one in Singapore's government has said when the air will clear. Teo said it remains unclear when the haze will improve.