Ramping up enforcement to tackle river pollution

More still needs to be done: Sg Kim Kim may not be pristine but it has come a long way from the toxic pollution crisis five years ago (below) that sickened thousands and shut down schools in Pasir Gudang, Johor. To prevent history from repeating, stringent laws with punitive measures and intensified enforcement are crucial to curb reckless river pollution.

PETALING JAYA: Harsher penalties alone under new amendments to the Environmental Quality Act will not spare the country’s water sources from pollution if there is a lack of manpower to enforce the provisions, said stakeholders and trade groups.

They argued that the longer reach of the law under the new amendments would remain ineffective should there be a lack of manpower on the part of the Environment Department (DOE) and suggested extending investigative and enforcement powers to other agencies.