‘Decision not to declare emergency justified’

PUTRAJAYA: The government’s decision not to declare an emergency in Pasir Gudang due to toxic fumes was justified, said Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The Health Minister said the situation in Pasir Gudang was now under control with the temporary treatment centre and the disaster management operations centre no longer operational.

“From the beginning, the government had decided that there was no need to declare a state of emergency.

“The decision put us in a very challenging spot, but we went on with it. Today, it has been proven that our decision was justified and fair,” Dzulkefly told a press conference.

He agreed that the public would want to see the culprits behind the chemical pollution of Sungai Kim Kim prosecuted, adding: “They must be brought to justice.”

The case was first reported when students and teachers were hospitalised after falling ill from methane poisoning, caused by toxic waste being illegally dumped in the river.

Dzulkefly said since March 7, a total of 5,848 people had sought medical treatment, with 951 of them warded.

“We are grateful that there were no deaths,” said the minister.