SINGAPORE, BALINEWS — Singapore has issued Preventive Measure Notices to seven Indonesian companies whose land concessions are suspected of being linked to forest and land fires that have contributed to transboundary haze. The authorities have ordered the companies to extinguish fires, halt burning activities and submit plans to prevent further outbreaks.
Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, announced the measures on Friday, October 16, 2026. According to Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA), monitoring and investigations indicated that smoke from fires on land concessions associated with the seven companies had drifted towards Singapore.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and the companies’ responses to these notices, and take further action if necessary,” Fu said, as quoted by Channel NewsAsia (CNA) on Friday.
The seven companies are PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, PT Sumatra Alam Anugerah, PT SBA Wood Industries, PT Hutan Lestari Raya and PT Bangkanesia.
The companies operate in the forestry and industrial timber plantation sectors, with their operations concentrated mainly in South Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands.
The NEA said its monitoring relied on several sources of information, including hotspot maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery. The findings formed the basis for issuing preventive notices to companies whose concessions were indicated to be associated with the fires.
Under the notices, each company is required to deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish existing fires and prevent them from spreading. They must also stop any burning activities and refrain from starting new fires on land they own or occupy.
In addition, the companies must submit action plans to the NEA detailing the measures they will take to extinguish the fires and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Singapore PM Calls for Investigation and Legal Action
A day before the NEA announcement, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called for companies suspected of being responsible for forest and land fires in Indonesia to be identified and held accountable under the law if they were found to have caused or contributed to the transboundary haze.
In a social media statement on Thursday, October 15, Wong said the Singapore government was working to identify companies that might be responsible. He also indicated that Singapore could take action under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.
Wong acknowledged that Singapore could not control the weather, wind direction or activities taking place outside its borders. Nevertheless, he said the government would continue to protect its population and work with neighbouring countries to address the root causes of the haze.
Fu said investigations into companies potentially responsible for the transboundary pollution would continue. The NEA may issue additional notices to other companies if evidence emerges indicating that their activities are linked to fires contributing to cross-border haze.
If necessary, Singapore could consider further enforcement measures under the relevant legislation, including financial penalties or legal proceedings.
Three Companies Identified as APP Suppliers
According to media reports cited in the available information, PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau and PT SBA Wood Industries are suppliers to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), part of the Sinar Mas Group.
PT Bumi Andalas Permai reportedly manages an industrial timber plantation concession in Ogan Komering Ilir regency, South Sumatra, covering approximately 190,000 hectares. PT Bumi Mekar Hijau reportedly operates a concession in the same regency spanning around 250,000 hectares.
PT Bumi Mekar Hijau was previously sued by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2015 over allegations that it had deliberately caused fires on peatland. That historical case should be distinguished from Singapore’s current investigation in 2026.
PT SBA Wood Industries also operates timber plantation activities in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra.
Another company on the list, PT Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, has been recorded as holding an industrial timber plantation concession in South Sumatra. In 2025, the company was reportedly implicated in a corruption and bribery case related to forest management permits in Lampung.
PT Sumatra Alam Anugerah reportedly manages an industrial timber plantation in Muara Enim regency, South Sumatra. Meanwhile, PT Hutan Lestari Raya and PT Bangkanesia are reported to hold industrial timber plantation permits in the Bangka Belitung Islands.
However, the companies’ business relationships and histories of previous legal proceedings do not, in themselves, establish their involvement in the fires currently under investigation by Singapore.
Singapore-Listed Palm Oil Company Also Under Scrutiny
The broader scrutiny surrounding Indonesia’s forest fires has also extended to a company listed on the Singapore Exchange. One such company is Kencana Agri, a palm oil producer whose subsidiaries operate in Indonesia.
According to a report by The Straits Times cited in the available information, Kencana Agri disclosed that fires had affected approximately 62 hectares of land within concessions managed by its subsidiaries in North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.
The company said the fires had spread from surrounding land and did not originate from its own operations.
The disclosure followed questions from Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) concerning recent forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that had contributed to transboundary haze affecting Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The case highlights the importance of establishing the origin and cause of fires before determining responsibility. The presence of hotspots within a concession does not automatically prove that the concession holder deliberately started the fires.
Singapore Offers Assistance to Indonesia
Alongside its investigations, Singapore has offered assistance to Indonesia in tackling forest and land fires.
Fu said the two governments had maintained communication over the preceding months, including discussions about support for firefighting operations.
On Friday, October 16, Fu contacted Indonesia’s Environment Minister, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, to offer civilian assistance with firefighting efforts. The proposed support also included the possibility of weather modification, or cloud seeding, if deemed appropriate to Indonesia’s needs.
Singapore said it understood the challenges Indonesia faced in containing forest and land fires and remained willing to provide assistance where needed.
The Singapore government has stressed that preventing future haze episodes requires effective fire prevention, rapid firefighting responses and legal accountability for parties proven to be responsible.
As of the information available at the time of reporting, the notices issued to the seven Indonesian companies constitute preventive measures based on monitoring findings and indications of possible links to fires. Establishing each company’s legal responsibility will require further investigation and supporting evidence.
