DOE denies ignoring Orang Asli over Gua Musang river pollution

 

The Department of Environment (DOE) today denied a news report which claimed it ignored a complaint lodged by an Orang Asli representative Asli over pollution at Sungai Menintei in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

According to Bernama, DOE director-general Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the report titled ‘Orang Asli Kelantan Kesal JAS Abai Aduan Sungai Tercemar’ was untrue because investigations found the complainant did not submit any application for its officials to conduct water sample analysis as alleged.

“The article which was published on Dec 27 claimed the application submitted by the Customary Land chairperson of Kampung Kuala Wias and Kampung Wok, Jimi Angah, was not heeded by DOE officials.

“However, an investigation revealed the complainant actually met with the consultant of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report on Dec 11 and not DOE officers,” Abdul Latiff said in a statement today.

According to him, a review of the EIA consultant’s fieldwork form (on-site form) signed by the complainant also showed there was no request from Jimi for DOE to conduct sampling analysis.

Abdul Latiff (above) added that DOE officers conducted a water quality reading at Sungai Menintei yesterday where they found the water containing conductivity (59 μS/cm), salinity (0.03), and dissolved oxygen (96.7 per cent) with a 7.7 pH, noting that based on the National Water Quality Standards, the water condition is clean. - Mkini