PENANG, December 9 – The Penang Consumers Association (CAP) has urged the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) and Local Authorities (PBT) to take immediate action to clean up waste that pollutes Sungai Muda near Permatang Bendahari, Seberang Perai Utara district (SPU) here. The CAP survey found that the piles of materials, especially plastic containers floating on the surface of the river, made the environment look dirty.
CAP regrets that Sungai Muda is the main source of water supply for the use of residents in Kedah and Penang. If this condition continues it can not only affect the water quality of the river but also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes that can trigger disease outbreaks. It is very worrying for CAP if the waste contains toxic it will definitely have a worse impact on the environment, river and marine life as well as human health.
CAP believes that if this waste is left unchecked, it will also pollute the nearby beaches and sea, disrupting fishermen’s activities and affecting their livelihoods. Therefore, CAP hopes that the responsible parties will conduct an investigation and pay serious attention to this problem as well as take effective action so that similar incidents do not recur. Continuous monitoring needs to be done and legal action should be taken strictly without giving consideration to those who violate the rules enshrined under the existing act.
CAP requests that these pollutants be disposed of in an area that is safe from any threat to the environment and the lives of local residents. The relevant parties also need to disclose the results of the investigation and action taken on this problem to the public.
