JOHOR BARU, Oct 2 — The Johor government will instruct owners whose land has been used as an illegal landfill in Kota Puteri here to revert back to its original agricultural status.
Johor Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment Committee chairman Tan Chen Choon said it has been decided that private land should revert back to its original agricultural status as opposed to the current one where it is used as an illegal landfill.
He said a notice on the matter will be issued by the Johor Lands and Mines Office (PTG).
“I would also like to emphasise that the landowner must fully comply with the instructions issued without any compromise.
“As a reminder, private land monitoring responsibilities should be borne by the landowners,” said Tan in a statement today.
Tan was responding to an ongoing fire on several plots of private land at the Kota Puteri Industrial Park since September 7.
Earlier, Tan said an emergency meeting was convened with the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), the state Department of Environment (DoE), SWCorp Johor, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), SAJ Ranhill and PTG.
He said the parties had discussed various solutions to the problem.
“The operation to extinguish the fire have been carried out since September 7 and have continued to date involving 50 members of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department on a daily basis throughout the period.
“As a result, the landowners have been instructed to provide preparations and machinery to assist with operations to extinguish the remaining 35 per cent of fire,” said Tan, who is also the Jementah assemblyman.
He added SWCorp Johor has also been directed to take immediate action against the focal point of illegal waste disposal sites and to provide a complete report on the actions taken in the near future.
