ISKANDAR PUTERI, June 26 — The Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) government must name the people and companies found responsible for the air pollution in Pasir Gudang that has resulted in the closure of nearly 500 schools and caused breathing problems for residents in the area.
Johor Umno chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad, who also heads the state Opposition pact, accused the ruling PH of hiding the identities of the culprits.
“Who does the state government want to protect? It is still unclear who the real mastermind is and whether they can be responsible.
“The government needs to explain to us,” Hasni said outside the Datuk Jaafar Muhammad Building of the state administrative office in Kota Iskandar here today where about 100 Opposition political party representatives, including PAS, MCA, MIC and 23 non-governmental organisations, held a demonstration demanding action against the polluters.
They also submitted a memorandum on the Pasir Gudang air pollution issue to Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal through the latter’s private secretary Muhd Shamsuddin Paijan at 10am.
Also present was Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Hussin.
Hasni, who is also the Benut assemblyman and former senior exco in the previous Barisan Nasional-led state administration, explained that through the memorandum, they are demanding that the state government present its plan and strategy for the incident, together with the setting-up of a special team.
He said that the group also demands for the resignation of the state’s health, culture and heritage committee chairman for his failure to ensure that such a critical situation was not repeated and also successfully resolved.
