KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor today pledged RM1 million to aid the rescue of victims hit by toxic fumes in industrial Pasir Gudang on the state’s southern border with Singapore.
The financial aid was offered after the ruler heard an audio recording of a man crying for help for his child, according to the Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Idris Shah.
“The contribution is for the Fire and Rescue Department, Police and other government agencies to purchase whatever is necessary to help victims,” she said in a statement to the Johor Royal Press Office posted on the sultan’s official Facebook page.
In his latest post, the sultan urged all to pray for Pasir Gudang.
The sultan has also asked the authorities to crack down on the perpetrators responsible for polluting Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, forcing the closure of all 111 schools in the district as of yesterday and sending nine out of 506 people who sought medical treatment into the intensive care unit.
The Johor government has budgeted RM6.4 million to clean up a 1.5km stretch of the river that was affected and the operation is expected to take one week.
