KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — The perpetrators in the river contamination that left millions in Selangor without water for days will be prosecuted next week, Minister of Environment and Water Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said today.
In a statement, Tuan Ibrahim said his ministry will not compromise in prosecuting the guilty in accordance with the law.
“Enforcement activities are being taken by various agencies like SPAN (National Water Services Commission), JAS (Department of Environment), LUAS (Selangor Water Management Authority) and local enforcement along with the state and federal government.
“I want to emphasise here that the ministry will not compromise in enforcing the law against anyone in accordance with legal provisions,” he said.
“The perpetrators will be prosecuted next week under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) and the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655),” Tuan Ibrahim added.
Tuan Ibrahim also promised an amendment into current laws for heavier penalties for perpetrators, which would include Act 655, Act 127, and the SPAN Act 2006 (Act 654).
This comes as Klang MP Charles Santiago, who was formerly the chairman of National Water Service Commission (SPAN), challenged Putrajaya to take legal action against the company allegedly responsible within a month or Tuan Ibrahim should resign.
Selangor police chief Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin said today four factory managers suspected to be involved in the water pollution incident of Sungai Gong, Rawang have been remanded for six days beginning today.
Noor Azam said the four suspects who are brothers, have been managing the factory since their father’s death.
Yesterday, state media channel TV Selangor reported Selangor State Environment, Green Technology, Science, Technology, Innovation and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian saying the culprit is a factory that provides service and maintenance for heavy machinery and equipment.
As mentioned in the video, the factory responsible was identified as Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd located at Kampung Sungai Dua in Rawang. AAY Construction Sdn Bhd is also located in the same premise.
According to Hee, the factory was found to have neglected proper procedure when it comes to storing waste oil. He added traces of solvent odour was detected flowing into the river.
Malaysiakini reported that the company in question is a repeat offender and had been fined RM60,000 previously for a similar offence.
In addition, Tuan Ibrahim said today water supply has resumed in 51.6 per cent of the affected areas and the rest will see their supply return gradually.
He said relief efforts so far have seen 114 tank trucks including nine operators from different states, prepared 22 public taps at affected areas, placed 70 static tanks at 19 central service stations as well as providing 5 litre bottles of drinking water to the affected residents.
A total of 1,292 areas in the Klang Valley, Petaling, Klang/Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat have been experiencing unscheduled water supply disruption since 10am on Thursday.
