Why are we killing our rivers?

So, why are we killing our rivers, despite being more aware, despite the great advances in modern technology and the presence of the green generation?

The answer is simple. We do not care.

If we are serious about doing something, the following should happen: Politicians must stop interfering, enforcement officers must enforce strictly, the local councils must stop making excuses about their failure to act and the judiciary has to come down hard on the polluters, not just give them a rap on the knuckles.

This also means that the rakyat must change their mindset and not treat the river as a huge rubbish tip. Most of us only show concern when there is no water to wash, clean or cook.

Mohamad Zin Masoad, the corporate director of the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), said a factory that repairs heavy machinery is alleged to be the source of the pollution in Sungei Gong. The factory is one of 308 operating illegally in areas under the jurisdiction of the MPS.

Mohamad Zin said that the factory had not applied for a licence since it started operation, six years ago, and had been built without permission from the MPS. Last March, the factory owners ignored a notice from MPS.

Most people wonder how 308 illegal factories sprang up without knowledge of the MPS.

If this figure is projected on a nationwide scale, the number of illegal factories would be staggering.

Are MPS council workers overworked, or understaffed?

A factory needs a supply of power, connection to the water mains, a postal address, a signboard and permits from the fire brigade and other bodies. Had the council also failed to collect business rates from the factory?

What convinced the MPS that this factory was responsible for the pollution of Sungei Gong? Was a chemical that was discharged in the wastewater traced back to this factory? Or was it guesswork? What was the pollutant, that the Department of Chemistry can confirm, came from this factory?

Sadly, the pollution of Malaysia's rivers has a lot in common with coach travel during the festive season, the abuse of maids, tahfiz school fires and human trafficking.

If a tragedy were to occur, one can rest assured that it would precipitate a lot of hand-wringing, pointing of fingers, increased enforcement, the digging up of old files, more promises by ministers, plus the required photoshoots, especially of victims thanking the minister from their hospital beds, and the setting up of an inquiry to find solutions to the problem. Then, no positive action will be taken.

Our refusal to learn from our mistakes

After a few days of heightened activity, the nation will settle back to normal, safe for the time being, until the next calamity occurs. Then, we will go through the same motions again, ask the same questions and demand enhanced enforcement. This is the story of Malaysia. It is our refusal to learn from our mistakes.

If the Selangor and Putrajaya administrations are serious about resolving the pollution of our water, air, soil and environment, there must be a political will to allow everyone to do their jobs, without fear or favour.

Engineers, chemists, town planners and production technologists have to apply their skills and knowledge to the task and not take orders from the politicians to approve a project that the experts know will cause problems in the future.

Are those in the industry using the best manufacturing process available to reduce waste? Have attempts been made to recycle or reclaim materials from the waste stream to reduce the amount of by-products discharged into the waterways? Does the manufacturing process involve a separation of harmful wastes to reduce overall pollution? Is there a contingency plan to accommodate emergencies, like a breakdown in the power supply?

Do the authorities check how a proposed business will handle and store the raw materials? Do they find out how the waste products used will be disposed of? Do they even check for the presence of groundwater, aquifers or tidal canals?

Some years ago, I took a boat from Kampung Dew, near Taiping, to observe the fireflies along the Sepetang River. The package included a tour of the kampung, including the chance to see how freshwater lobster pots were laid along the river bed. The villagers earn a side income selling udang galah to tourists and restaurants.

On this trip, the villagers were furious that the udang galah population had been decimated because, they claimed, a factory upriver had discharged its effluents during a heavy downpour.

They said that factory owners tended to release their wastewater during heavy rain, to avoid detection. (I've heard the same allegations in Selangor, from people who fish on the river.)

On one particular morning, the surface of the water in Kampung Dew was thick with foam and the villagers contacted the Department of Forestry and the Department of Environment.

After investigations, the officers were prepared to prosecute, but the factory owner got wind of the proposed action, contacted his politician friends and the officers were told to drop the case.

To get to the bottom of the Sungei Gong case, one must ask the current menteri besar and his predecessors the real story about water pollution in Selangor.

There are sufficient laws to tackle the violations, only if our law enforcement agencies are allowed to do their jobs.

Perhaps, if we jailed politicians and their crony friends, the problem of river pollution would miraculously disappear.

---

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.