Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Transboundary Haze

Questions:

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the latest assessment of transboundary haze affecting Singapore; and (b) whether bilateral and regional measures to mitigate haze are being reviewed and strengthened.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how is the Ministry working with its foreign counterparts to tackle the sources and problem of fires causing transboundary haze or air pollution; (b) whether the Ministry will consider cloud seeding if dry conditions continue; and (c) what measures will be implemented to help vulnerable Singaporeans cope with related health issues.

Mr Fadli Fawzi: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether any firms inside or outside Singapore will be investigated under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 in relation to the recent peat fires in Johor that have caused Singapore to be impacted by haze; and (b) if not, why not.

Answer:

The Meteorological Service Singapore has assessed that hotspot activity could increase in the coming weeks over nearby areas due to wind patterns and drier conditions in the current dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon. This could result in hazy conditions affecting Singapore.

Cloud seeding for rain will not be effective given our geography. Any induced rain might not fall on Singapore and the surrounding areas due to variable wind patterns.Regional and bilateral cooperation are therefore essential to address transboundary haze, and Singapore is committed to these efforts. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) based in Singapore provides regular updates to ASEAN Member States on the weather and haze situation, including hotspot information and early warnings to support their respective haze prevention and response efforts.

Singapore also engages our neighbours through platforms such as the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) and the Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution. We strongly support Indonesia’s efforts to operationalise the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control, to be based in Indonesia. The Centre will enhance regional preparedness and response to transboundary haze by facilitating cooperation and coordination in managing the impact of land and forest fires that cause haze pollution.

Our 24-hour PSI readings have remained in the ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ range this year, with a peak PSI reading of 69 on 8 February, well within the ‘Moderate’ range. Hence, at this stage, the haze has not reached such levels which would warrant investigation under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

We will continue to monitor the ongoing haze situation closely. Should the haze situation worsen, the Haze Task Force (HTF), led by NEA and comprising 28 government agencies, will implement measures to safeguard public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people with chronic lung and heart diseases. These measures include the issuing of advisories to minimise outdoor activities and ensuring sufficient supply of N95 masks. Indoor air purifiers will also be deployed in premises where vulnerable groups are likely to congregate, such as schools, public hospitals, nursing homes and polyclinics. Members of the public may stay updated through NEA's website, the MyENV app, and the dedicated haze microsite at haze.gov.sg.