Singapore is "keeping our options open" under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) as haze continues to affect the Republic, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Wednesday (Oct 14).
The law criminalises conduct that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore.
When asked about possible prosecution against firms, Fu said Singapore was currently collecting data and would review it carefully.
Her comments came as Singapore stepped up measures to help residents cope with worsening air quality, with haze shelters set to open and N95 masks being distributed to vulnerable groups.
Schools have also begun scaling back outdoor activities as air quality deteriorates, while authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
The measures come as Indonesia seeks to extinguish all forest and land fires within a month, with authorities expressing optimism that the blazes could be brought under control sooner as their intensity begins to decline.
"It's a very difficult year because of El Nino. The weather has been very dry, and we know that the issues are very complex," Fu said at a mask collection exercise at Yuhua Community Club.
"We wish them well, and we stand ready to assist them where we can."
Fu said Singapore would continue working with its regional partners to address the haze situation and look at longer-term solutions.
"We look forward to a discussion at the regional level, at the Asean level, along with our Asean counterparts," she said.
Fu reiterated Singapore's offer to help Indonesia tackle the fires but said there had been no update from Jakarta.
"We offer very general assistance in any form that they think is suitable and is needed. We want our assistance to be relevant, so we have basically made an open offer for assistance," she said.
Asked about comments by an Indonesian official that the country's forests also supply oxygen to Singapore, Fu stressed that climate issues are global in nature and require collective action.
"As part of the global community, all of us have to work with one another to ensure that we give the best condition to our people," she said.
In Indonesia, Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat said the intensity of the fires had already started to decline, according to Indonesian news agency Antara.
"Based on discussions with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the fires could be extinguished in the next few weeks," Jumhur said on Tuesday, according to Antara.
"The intensity is already starting to decline. The fires should be extinguished within a month," he added.
He was speaking at the Prasasti Indonesia Policy Forum 2026 in Jakarta.
However, firefighting efforts continue to face challenges, including poor visibility, which has hampered the use of water-bombing helicopters.
Indonesia is also weighing offers of assistance from neighbouring countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, as it battles fires that have fuelled haze and smog across the region.
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