KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) will adopt a standard operating procedure (SOP) to address toxicological pollution.

Its deputy minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said this was decided at the meeting of the National Committee on Management and Regulation of Hazardous Materials, chaired by the Secretary-General of the ministry on April 4.

She said the SOP was to improve preparedness of relevant parties and agencies in the event of a toxic pollution incident similar to the one which happened in Sungai Kim-Kim and related incidents which may occur in the future.

“The relevant enforcement and security agencies namely Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), Local Authorities, State Secretary, Department of Chemistry Malaysia, Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia, Department of Environment (DOE ) and MESTECC will be holding a ‘table top exercise’ session so that the aspects of coordination and preparedness to face all disaster threats can be enhanced.

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“This is one of the ministry’s future plans to ensure that environmental tragedies do not recur in the future,” she said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara today.

She was responding to Senator Rahemah Idris's question on the strategy taken by the ministry to ensure that illegal toxic waste disposal, as the one in Pasir Gudang, Johor, is not repeated.

Isnaraissah also said enforcement would also be intensified via integrated operations with related agencies and utility companies such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and water supply companies.

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To Senator Datuk Abidullah Salleh’s question on the number of chemical plants in Melaka, she replied there were 25 such premises in Melaka at the moment. — Bernama