Is Singapore really interested in solving haze problem?

The govt has taken legal actions against 5 companies suspected of being among the culprits causing this environmental and health hazard. The Singapore Environment Council, SEC, is also calling up local companies to sign an agreement to declare they did not source from possible haze culprits. One suspected company involved in the haze problem has been named as APP. 10 companies have signed but another 7 have yet to sign. What can the govt do if they don’t sign?

One firm that did not sign said they have stopped getting supplies from APP and would clear their APP stocks before signing. Fair enough. What about those that refused to do anything? Seah Kian Peng of NTUC Fairprice said the company is investigating and also yet to sign the declaration. It was reported that that 20% of the company’s paper products came from APP.

‘Case President Lim Biow Chuan urged consumers to stop supporting companies who have not pledged to be socially responsible. “This will send a strong signal to the errant companies that consumers’ goodwill should not be taken for granted,” he said.’

Would he be having a word with his colleague in NTUC Fairprice about this? Can APP and other culprits take NTUC Fairprice for granted? What is the point of asking the consumers to boycott the paper product suppliers when one of the biggest companies continues to buy from APP?  Is the govt serious in tackling haze culprits or just another wayang , one hand say this and the other doing something else? Oh, forgot, no coordinating minister in charge of haze, trade and SMEs.

And there was a comment by Sinkie Ah Q, a Singapore version, who said what is the point, Singapore is a small market, if his company does not buy from APP, APP can sell to the rest of the world. This kind of attitude is quite understandable from daft Sinkies.

By the way, is APP the only company whose products are sold here? What about Indonesian companies whose products are sold here? Or is it a case of it happens, nothing can be done, let’s move on?

PS: Why are we paying these companies to smoke us?