JOHOR BARU, March 9 — Two schools in Pasir Gudang, which have been closed after students sniffed chemical gas resulting from the dumping of chemical waste into Sungai Kim Kim, have not been permitted to open tomorrow.

Johor Education Department deputy director Azman Adnan said Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pasir Puteh and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pasir Putih would only be reopened on Monday (March 11) after a thorough cleaning job was done.

“Please be informed that a special meeting of the Chemical Waste Spill Disaster Relief Committee In Sungai Kim Kim Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru, was held today by the authorities involving all relevant government agencies.

“Based on feedback from various departments and agencies, it is recommended SK Taman Pasir Puteh and SMK Taman Pasir Putih will be closed tomorrow, Sunday (March 10) to enable full cleaning work and the schools will reopen on Monday (March 11),” he said in a statement here today.,”

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Azman said the Johor Education Department agreed with the suggestion and had alerted the Pasir Gudang District Education Office and the two schools to inform teachers, parents, guardians and students about the closure.

Two days ago, 1,400 SMK Pasir Putih and SK Pasir Puteh students were ordered to vacate the schools premises after a student suffered shortness of breath, vomiting and fainted after inhaling gas believed to be from chemical substance dumped into Sungai Kim Kim.

As of 9.30 pm yesterday, the number of victims who had inhaled the gas was 79 people, including students and residents with 32 of them being treated as outpatients while 47 others were being treated at the Sultan Ismail Hospital. — Bernama

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