Father and son plead not guilty to polluting Sungai Gong

SELAYANG: A father and son have been charged at the Sessions Court here with the water contamination at Sungai Gong in Rawang.

Company directors Chai Kin Siang, 62, and Chai Wern Teik, 31, were accused of committing mischief by discharging effluents that disrupted pipe water supply to 1.2 million people near Sungai Gong.

The offence was allegedly committed at Lot 16273 Jalan Sungai Bakau, Batu Arang Rawang, between Oct 17 and 19 this year.

They pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to them before Sessions Court judge Maziah Joary Mohd Tajuddin here yesterday.

The charge, under Section 430 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment or a fine or both, upon conviction.

The two also faced a second charge of releasing untreated effluents into the same river at the same place and time.

The offence falls under Section 25(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

They face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine up to RM100,000 or both, if convicted.

On Oct 21, police arrested eight people to facilitate investigations into the raw water source contamination in Sungai Selangor.

Initial investigations found that the odour detected in Sungai Gong, Rawang, was suspected to have started from the company which dealt with repairing and selling construction machinery.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar told the court that the prosecution did not intend to offer bail for the accused.

He said similar offences had been committed since September, causing water cuts in the Klang Valley with millions affected.

“This company never learned the lesson from what had happened. The people have to face this ‘new normal’ of water cuts when they already have to face the new normal of Covid-19... when will this end?

“Only two will be charged in court today while the rest will be prosecution witnesses. Imagine the impact if the accused persons are out on bail as they know the witnesses and there is probability of the witnesses being harassed, ” Muhamad said.

He, however, told the court that if the court allowed bail, the prosecution would propose a RM2mil bail in one surety for each of the accused.

Lawyer Muhammad Nor Izzat Nordin asked the court to grant bail at RM200,000 in one surety for each of the accused.

The court fixed bail at RM400,000 in one surety each. The case is set for mention on Dec 16.