Singapore to pursue firms over forest fires

JAKARTA: Singapore is refusing to back down in its pursuit of those respon - gling to bring the perpetrators before the courts and drawing a sharp rebuke

- Thailand in acrid smoke and forcing school closures as pollution reached hazardous levels and thousands fell

Singapore has served notice to six but could target others as investigations continue, according to Sin

problem," he told Agence France

its own anti-haze law have become a

Singapore argues that international rules allow states to take action—even outside its jurisdiction—but Jakarta -

The latest sabre-rattling came after Singapore issued a court warrant in -

- that she would be reviewing her min

"Singapore cannot step further into declined to comment further on the

these companies and was within its

"We are not doing something that

The law threatens local and foreign -

So far just two of the companies have responded to the court

- panies—such as maps showing who owns what concessions—

Singapore would "continue the evidence needed to prosecute these companies could be found

- ments is that a regional approach to solving the haze crisis would be more

on this, on how we can best address this issue of haze through the ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has an agreement to create a

- sia, which also suffers during the haze outbreaks, has expressed interest in adopting its own law similar to Singapore's to pursue

Jakarta has promised tougher ac -

The government announced in land for palm oil plantations, and millions of hectares of carbon-rich