Singapore mandates expert panel audits for firms linked to transboundary haze

The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) announced on October 23 the creation of a specialist panel of experts to assist the Singapore government in identifying and holding accountable firms linked to fires causing transboundary haze. The panel will consist of law, audit, and investigative firms specialized in cross-border inquiries, the tracing of complex corporate structures, and the examination of multi-jurisdictional supply chains. To manage the coordination of this panel, the government has appointed Davinder Singh Chambers. The firm will advise the state on managing inquiries across different jurisdictions, addressing a specific administrative gap: the legal and practical limitations faced by Singaporean government agencies, including the Attorney-General's Chambers, when operating within the territories of foreign sovereign states. Under this new mechanism, companies identified by the government will be mandated to engage professionals from the expert panel to conduct audits of their operations and corporate relationships. These firms are required to provide full cooperation and unfettered access to relevant information. The resulting findings will then be assessed by the Attorney-General's Chambers and other relevant government agencies.