Time to clean up Sungai Muda, says CAP

Piles of waste trapped near the jetty in Permatang Bendahari, Penang, that could pollute Sungai Muda.

THE lack of civic-mindedness and care for the environment rears its ugly head again, this time in Sungai Muda, where a swathe of floating bottles is caught along the side of a jetty on the river.

What appears to be a field of sun-baked plastic bottles that once held mineral water, engine oil, shampoo and who knows what else along with pieces of polystyrene, has gathered after being trapped into a corner by a jetty at Permatang Bendahari in north Seberang Prai district, Penang.

It does not help that Sungai Muda is a vital source of raw water for Kedah and Penang, said Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).

CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said on top of pollution, the waste creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes that can trigger disease outbreaks.

“Even worse, if the waste contains toxic materials, they will have a worse impact on the environment, river and marine life as well as human health.

“If left unchecked, this plastic waste will flow out to sea, disrupting fishermen’s activities and affecting their livelihoods.”

He said an investigation should be conducted and serious attention paid to the problem.

Sungai Muda is more than 200km long, flowing out of a jungle shared with Thailand and passing through a multitude of communities in Kedah and Penang.

CAP urged the Drainage and Irrigation Department as well as local authorities to take immediate action to clean up the river.

It called for continuous monitoring of cleanliness and strict legal action taken against anyone founding dumping rubbish into the river.

Penaga assemblyman Yusni Mat Piah said it was shocking that local authorities were not aware of the floating mess of plastic waste as there had been complaints from the local community.

Permatang Bendahari is within his constituency, about 4km from the river mouth.

“Action should be taken against individuals or companies involved in the dumping as polluting our water source is a serious issue,” he said.

Sungai Muda’s pollution was first highlighted in February last year after an illegal dumping ground was spotted on the banks of the river, with concerns that heavy metal could have leaked into it.

Water samples were then tested for contamination, with warnings from Penang Water Supply Corporation that if the river is found to be polluted, it would be forced to stop taking water from there.