Haze probe: Five Singapore-registered companies agree to engage assessors - CNA

The five companies also agreed to cooperate with assessors from the Panel on Transboundary Haze, says the National Environment Agency.

Buildings shrouded in haze from forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, in Singapore, Oct 13, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Kokkai Ng)

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SINGAPORE: Five Singapore-registered companies potentially linked to the fires that led to transboundary haze have agreed to engage assessors and cooperate in the assessment process, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Saturday (Oct 31).

The agency met representatives from Wilmar International, Golden Agri-Resources, APP Company, APP Company (China) and Indofood Agri Resources. It will be meeting Kencana Agri, which has expressed willingness to voluntarily engage assessors.

"NEA welcomes the response from the Singapore-registered companies that have indicated their willingness to cooperate with the assessment process conducted by assessors from the Panel on Transboundary Haze," said the agency.

It also welcomed a recent public statement by First Resources that stated it was prepared to engage an investigation firm and a law firm to assess whether the company had any involvement or connection with the fires in Indonesia that contributed to transboundary haze. 

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less "We look forward to receiving written confirmation of its participation in the assessment process," said NEA.

The agency said the companies' voluntary participation in the assessment process will help establish the facts. 

CNA has reached out to the other three Singapore-registered companies that received notices from NEA for comment.

Earlier this week, senior executives from 10 companies potentially linked to haze-causing fires pledged to cooperate fully with Singapore’s investigations, after a meeting with three ministers.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister K Shanmugam and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu met the companies' leaders to set out the government's expectations and plans to strengthen laws to hold accountable those responsible for haze pollution.

The companies at the meeting, which lasted less than half an hour, were Bumitama Agri, First Resources, Golden Agri-Resources, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Resources, Wilmar International and Sinar Mas Group. Sinar Mas Group's senior adviser Bernard Tan also represented Asia Pulp and Paper and Asia Pulp and Paper (China).

On Friday, the Ministry of Law and NEA announced that seven members have been selected for a specialist panel that will assess companies identified by the government for potential links to transboundary haze.

Three are investigation firms: Control Risks Group, FTI Consulting (Singapore) and Kroll Singapore. The remaining four are law firms or legal advisers: Dentons Rodyk and Davidson LLP, Toby Landau KC of Duxton Hill Chambers, TSMP Law Corporation and WongPartnership LLP.

The law ministry and NEA said that the members bring expertise in forensic investigations, financial analysis, corporate intelligence, risk advisory and legal services.

First Resources, in a filing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on Friday night, stated that it intends to fully cooperate with NEA and will, at its own cost, engage an investigations firm and law firm from the government's panel of assessors.

The company said it was collating the requested information and would respond to NEA in accordance with the requirements set out in the notice. 

Three of its subsidiaries in West Kalimantan are cooperating with Indonesian authorities in relation to forest and land fires in the area, said First Resources, adding that no sanctions or penalties have been imposed in relation to these incidents.

Indofoods Agri Resources, Bumitama and Kencana similarly said they were putting together the required information and documentation.

All four firms said they had not identified any operational, supply-chain or business relationship with the 10 Indonesian companies that were handed notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

Kencana reiterated that the Indonesian police have started a preliminary inquiry into the fire incident at the company's subsidiary in North Kalimantan.