First reading of Haze Bill on July 7

ALL content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/singapore/first-reading-haze-bill-july-7-20140628

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Bill, which provides for civil and criminal liability of entities that cause haze in Singapore, will be tabled in Parliament next month, said Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The bill is being amended with useful contributions from a public consultation exercise earlier this year.

One possible change to the amended bill is revising the criminal penalty formula to take into account the duration of the haze. It comes after feedback that the corporate penalty of up to $450,000 was too low.

The bill was proposed in February to ensure that businesses are held accountable for their actions, and serves as a deterrent.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "To me, I'm totally convinced there is a need for this bill, we have to ratchet up the pressure, because all that has gone on in the last two to three decades has not been sufficient."