RAWANG, Nov 11 — Police are checking on the possibility of sabotage behind yesterday’s pollution that forced all four of Selangor’s water treatment plants to shut down, disrupting piped water supply to thousands across the Klang Valley.
Gombak Assistant Commissioner of Police Arifai Tarawe said that investigations are still in the early stages though four people have been arrested and are under a seven-day remand for suspected foul play.
“We won’t rule out the possibility that after investigating this locality and the premises where the chemicals were dumped that there could be elements of sabotage.
“We are investigating this case in detail and we will have more information in days to come,” Arifai told reporters here, adding that it had only been one day.
The senior policeman showed the press a shoplot where 40 huge barrels were stored, said to contain 1,000 litres of chemicals waiting for disposal.
Arifai said the chemicals are believed to be the same as those dumped into a sewerage system that caused the contamination of the Rantau Panjang and SSP 1, 2 and 3 water treatment plants.
He said the shop had been rented out to a company for only two weeks before the pollution incident, adding that the tenant had described itself as a storage company.
“At the moment we are not sure how much was dumped into the water system but we can tell you there is still another 40 barrels, all able to contain up to 1,000 litres in the premises,” said Arifai.
He said this is the fifth time such an incident had happened in the area.
He said police will be working with other agencies to investigate businesses in the area to see if there were illegal activities taking place.
He added that a special unit may be set up comprising the police, the National Water Services Commission, the Selangor Water Management Authority, the Department of Environment to address this latest issue.
Police today arrested three men and one woman aged between 33 and 43 whom they suspect of dumping chemicals into the sewerage system and causing pollution.
