The Big Story: Make polluters pay? Singapore's tougher haze laws come with $20 million fines

Singapore has significantly strengthened its laws against companies linked to transboundary haze, raising the maximum fine tenfold from $2 million to $20 million. The new measures also give authorities greater powers to investigate suspected companies, restrict their business dealings and even cut off access to financial services.

More significantly, Singapore can now take action before haze reaches its shores, if overseas fires pose a credible risk to the country.

But will tougher penalties finally deter companies from practices that contribute to haze? And how far can Singapore go in holding businesses accountable when the fires are happening across the border?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Sean Tseng, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, NUS, to find out more. 

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