KUALA LUMPUR: Science minister Khairy Jamaluddin has called for heavier penalties to be imposed on those responsible for water pollution, and for water resources to be treated as a security matter.
He said on Twitter this evening that the Water Services Industry Act and the Environmental Quality Act should be amended to provide heavier penalties for those who pollute water resources.
“Water resources should be treated as a matter of national security. I will bring it up to the Cabinet,” he said.
Selangor police said this evening that statements are to be taken from the owners of a factory suspected of being responsible for the pollution. A police investigation has begun into the odour pollution in the Sungai Gong area in Rawang after two complaints were lodged.
Earlier today, Khairy said he has asked for speedy analysis of contaminated raw water samples taken from the Sungai Gong area, Rawang, Bernama reported.
He said the Chemistry Department had received samples from the factory believed to be responsible for the pollution. Samples were taken by the Environment Department (DoE), Selangor water management authority and the health ministry.
“I have instructed them to expedite these analyses. Once the results are known, we will submit them to the DoE for further action,” he said.
Four water treatment plants at Sungai Selangor and Rantau Panjang remained closed today, with the pollution level at No 1 of the threshold odour number (TON) scale, the Selangor water company Air Selangor said today.
“The water treatment plants can only operate when the pollution level reaches the zero TON level,” a company statement here said tonight.
A total of 1,292 areas in seven regions in the Klang Valley have had their water supply disrupted since 10am yesterday. The affected areas are in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang/Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat districts. - FMT
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