Singapore calls for companies responsible for air pollution to be named

The high levels of air pollution created by land clearance fires in Indonesia continue to affect Malaysia and Singapore. The fires have been raging for the past couple of weeks, releasing plumes of smoke that are causing increasingly high levels of smog to settle over Singapore and areas of Malaysia.

The use of fires as a form of land clearance is an illegal operation that companies carry out in order to prepare land for palm oil plantations. The levels of pollution these fires have caused in the southern districts of Ledang and Muar are the highest ever recorded and have resulted in the government declaring a state of emergency.

Singapore has now called for Indonesia to name the companies that are responsible for the fires and the dangerous smog. Singapore and Malaysia are unable to launch their own attempts to douse the fires that are causing the pollution due to the principle of sovereignty in international law. However, if the companies responsible for the fires are named, they can be prosecuted for the damage they have caused.

According to Reuters eight Southeast Asian companies have been identified by the Indonesian government as the perpetrators of the fires and cases are currently be built against each of them. Under the law, the companies could be subject to strict penalties in they are proven to be responsible for the environmental crime.     

The investigation is reportedly being led by the police and the Environment Ministry, if there is perceived to be enough evidence against the companies being investigated the case will be given to the attorney general. It is very rare for companies in Indonesia to be subjected to laws concerning their effects on the environment, but the 2009 law could mean that companies found guilty of causing the smog will be subjected to heavy fines and face jail time.