KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — The police have confirmed the arrest of four individuals in relation to yesterday’s water pollution incident at the Rantau Panjang and SSP 1, 2, and 3 water treatment plants.
In a brief statement, Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Fadzil Ahmat said the arrests were carried out from midnight until early this morning in Gombak, Damansara and Kelana Jaya after a police report was lodged.
“The four individuals arrested are a 40-year-old woman; and three men, aged 43, 42 and 33 respectively.
“We will apply for remand at the Selayang Court this morning,” he said.
In the same statement, Fadzil said preliminary investigations showed that the female suspect is registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia as being the tenant of the premises in Rawang where the alleged pollution occurred.
He added that the 42-year-old suspect, together with the 33-year-old suspect who is his employee, were in charge of the chemicals that are kept on-site.
“It is believed that chemical waste was dumped into a sewage hole at the premises which then flowed into the area that was contaminated,” he said.
The arrests come after national news agency Bernama reported today Fadzil as saying that the police have opened an investigation paper on the incident.
Yesterday, the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) announced that operations at the SSP 1, 2, 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants had been suspended at about 12.20pm.
The shutdown affected 1,139,008 account holders in 1,279 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.
However, Air Selangor this morning announced that it expects water supply to be restored in stages to consumers in affected areas from 3pm this afternoon.
