GEORGE TOWN, May 15 – The Penang Consumers Association (CAP) has urged the Johor Department of Environment (DOE) to take stern action under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 against factory operators identified as involved in the recent pollution of the Skudai River. CAP is worried about the incident because it not only pollutes the river water but can also affect the health of consumers if this problem is allowed to continue.
Therefore, CAP asked the DOE to impose severe punishment on the factory operators involved in proportion to the adverse effects caused by the threat of pollution. Ongoing investigations and monitoring should also be done by DOE so that this incident does not recur. A week ago, the water of Sungai Skudai was reported to be foaming white and the results of the DOE’s investigation found that a metal factory in the Senai Industrial Area Phase III was suspected to have caused this problem.
CAP regrets that in recent years, river pollution incidents in the state have occurred frequently and raised concerns among the residents involved and hoped that the problems that had hit the Kim Kim River near Pasir Gudang before did not occur on the Skudai River. The Johor Government, Local Authorities (PBT), DOE and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DOE) need to conduct more frequent surveys and inspections on all factories in the state to ensure that no operator turns the irrigation system into a toxic waste pond.
CAP stressed that all rules enshrined under the existing law must be strictly enforced without giving any consideration to those who violate it. CAP asked the government to disclose to the public the results of the investigation and action taken on the pollution problem of the Skudai River immediately.
