Singapore is pleased that Malaysia is considering having legislation akin to the republic’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) which was passed in 2014.

“I am pleased that Malaysia is considering similar legislation,” said Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Masagos Zulkifli, in his Facebook post yesterday evening.

It was reported on Sept 24 that Malaysia will be preparing a cabinet paper on the need to create a Transboundary Pollution Act in three months.

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said the cabinet paper would contain, among others, the direction and policy of the law.

“The Act, if approved, will include haze and other pollution so that the government can take action against Malaysian companies or citizens who commit such offences in other countries but resulted in pollution to our country,” Yeo reportedly said.

Meanwhile, in the same posting, Masagos (photo) also noted that Singapore is supportive of the Indonesian government’s continuing efforts to suppress the forest and land fires.

“I am also glad that the Indonesian Ministry of the Environment and Forestry is stepping up efforts to pursue action against companies that are culpable for the fires, subjecting them to the full extent of the law and pursuing the necessary evidence to do so.

“This is the spirit and intent of Singapore’s THPA... the THPA is not meant to undermine the sovereignty of any country and is in line with international law,” he said.

Masagos added that the THPA complements national efforts, such as those by Indonesia, to hold accountable the parties responsible for such fires.

- Bernama