PETALING JAYA: The next phase of the Selangor government’s anti-river pollution operations will see authorities cracking down on illegal factories located along river reserves in Kajang.
“Eight illegal business premises located near Sungai Rawang have been demolished to date, ” said Selangor tourism, environment and green technology, Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian (pic).
“Enforcement checks are carried out daily (by the relevant agencies) to ensure river pollution doesn’t happen.”
The Selangor government has increased its enforcement measures lately in an effort to weed out premises suspected of polluting water sources and causing water supply disruptions in the Klang Valley.
Meanwhile, Hee said that offenders found guilty of intentionally polluting Selangor waters could be jailed for life if they are charged under Section 124 of the Penal Code.
“The investigators found that there were elements of sabotage in the case of the Sungai Selangor pollution linked to a factory in Taman Velox, Rawang, ” he said, adding that the next court mention for this case was scheduled for Jan 7.
“So for the first time ever in Malaysia, the police will enforce and the Attorney General has agreed to use Section 124 of the Penal Code to charge the offenders in this case.
“If found guilty by the court, the offenders will be given a life imprisonment sentence, as opposed to being charged under Section 430 where the maximum imprisonment duration is 30 years.”
Hee said the Taman Velox incident, which was traced to a factory found disposing solvents through a manhole flowing to a sewerage treatment plant, resulted in some 70% users in Selangor facing water disruption.
“I hope this serves as a warning to future perpetrators that the authorities are taking stricter action against those found guilty of polluting rivers, ” he said.
Hee was speaking after presenting an allocation of RM237,200 to 23 churches at the state secretariat in Shah Alam today (Dec 29).
