Courts to take tough stand against environmental crime, says top judge

 

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the public was frustrated over the series of pollution cases in Selangor as it led to water disruptions. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s top judge has urged law enforcement authorities to up their ante and work tirelessly to combat environmental crime following a series of river pollution cases in Selangor.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said they were the first line of defence that the public relied on in the justice system.

She said the legal fraternity too had a role by bringing up environmental issues before the courts through civil litigation.

“This is where the crucial significance of synergy comes to the fore,” she said in an online speech at a Suhakam training workshop.

Tengku Maimun said the public was frustrated over the series of pollution cases in the state, giving rise to troublesome water disruptions.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.

She said after apprehending the first round of alleged perpetrators, “we were met again with news of another case of factory-related pollution in the same locale”.

Tengku Maimun said lawyers too had a role in pro bono litigation as the courts here, unlike the Supreme Court of India, could not enter the fray to initiate an action on their own accord.

“The public therefore relies foremost on the Bar to assist us in upholding the rule of law.

“The same is true of those in the legal service who shoulder the onerous task of advising the government to take proper measures to protect and preserve the environment,” she added.

Tengku Maimun said the process started with those practicing the law to ensure that it was scrupulously followed and where it was not, the courts were the final bulwark of justice against environmental destruction.

She said the number of environmental crime cases were increasing exponentially, with three cases registered in 2017, 20 in 2018, 120 last year and 166 as at Oct 31 this year.

Saying she had been informed that of late the environmental courts had been rather slow in disposing of environmental crime cases, she assured that remedial steps were being taken to address the problem.

She said the role of criminal courts was to punish those who harmed the environment commensurate with the gravity of their crime.

“All perpetrators ought to know that the courts will not allow the public to suffer such crimes with impunity,” she added. - FMT