Water Services Industry Act to be amended, says minister

The Water Services Industry Act 2006 will be amended to beef up enforcement to curb water resources pollution incidents, said Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister A Xavier Jayakumar.

He said in its first meeting today, the Water Resources Pollution Action and Monitoring Committee had, among others, proposed that the authorities should be given the power to arrest individuals and seize vehicles suspected of being used in pollution incidents.

“The committee also proposed higher penalties for such offences,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today after chairing the meeting that was established following the Sungai Selangor pollution incident last July.

The committee encompasses representatives of the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry; International Trade and Industry Ministry; Housing and Local Government Ministry; the police, the Department of Environment, Road Transport Department, the National Water Services Commission and state governments.

Xavier said the amendments were expected to be tabled in Parliament in October. — Bernama