Selangor MB: Sabotage possibly involved in recent Sg Selangor fuel spill

BESTARI JAYA: Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari (pic) says there was a possible act of sabotage involved in the recent fuel spill into Sungai Selangor, resulting in the closure of the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 water treatment plant here and further water cuts in the state.

He said a fuel tank cover on a sand dredging pontoon was found to have been pulled open, resulting in fuel flowing into the river.

Amirudin added that the mishap was detected about six kilometres away from the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 water treatment plant here on Sunday (July 21) evening.

"The pontoon has been at the location since 2013 but had not been operational the past two months," Amirudin told a press conference at the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 water treatment plant here on Monday (July 22).

"I have also asked for all the pontoons that are no longer in use to be removed from the river to prevent further risks," he added.

He said a police report was lodged by Selangor's sand mining concessionaire Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) over the suspicion that foul play may have been involved.

According to Amirudin, the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) has sprinkled soap and flushed the contaminated stretch of Sungai Selangor.

He said most of the contamination had been countered as of 3am Monday and the situation is expected to return to normal soon.

"We are now waiting for the reservoir to be filled for water to be distributed from tomorrow (July 23) and 30% of the disrupted water is expected to be restored by 6pm," said Amirudin.

The contamination forced the Sungai Selangor Phases 1, 2 and 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants to be shut down Sunday (July 21).

Meanwhile, Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin said at the same press conference that a police report was lodged on Sunday by the company which owned the pontoon.

"Our investigations found two oil drums (on the pontoons) with its covers pulled off that resulted in 100 litres of diesel flowing into the river," he added.

Comm Noor Azam also said workers at the site told police that three anglers were spotted fishing from the pontoon just before the incident occurred.

He added the anglers initially refused to leave when told to do so.

"We are investigating whether the contamination is due to carelessness or an act of sabotage," said Comm Noor Azam.

This incident follows an earlier occurrence of odour pollution on July 19, that caused water cuts to more than a million consumers.

It was earlier reported that the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) had lodged a police report earlier Monday (July 22) at the Bestari Jaya police station over both the incidents.

SPAN chairman Charles Santiago has also been reported saying it was a crime under Section 121 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 to cause water contamination.