DOE closely monitoring Sg Renggit following Singapore oil spill

KOTA TINGGI: The Environment Department (DOE) is closely monitoring Sungai Renggit here in Pengerang following reports of pollution following an oil spill in Singapore, says Ling Tian Soon.

The Johor health and environment committee chairman said that the beach cleanup action plan would also be activated if the need arises.

“On Wednesday (June 19), the DOE received information from the Pengerang Municipal Council (MPP) about oil pollution along the beach at Sungai Rengit.

“Monitoring and patrolling of the beach continues today. If there is a need, we will activate the beach cleanup action plan so that cleaning operations can be conducted,” he said in a statement here Thursday (June 20).

He added that other agencies involved would also be monitoring the situation in the Pengerang waters from time to time.

The oil split was the result of an incident on June 14 when the Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima reportedly hit a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, Marine Honour, at the Pasir Panjang Terminal in Singapore.

Ling said that the Johor DOE received information from Singapore’s National Environment Agency on June 18 about the oil spill, estimated to be about 400 tonnes.

He said the department has also sought assistance from several agencies to monitor the situation, including the Johor Port Authority, Kota Tinggi district office, MPP, the Civil Defence Force and the Malaysian Navy.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (June 19), Tanjung Surat assemblyman Aznan Tamin said he had visited the area affected by pollution from an oil spill.

“A special meeting chaired by the Kota Tinggi district officer will be held on Thursday (June 20) to determine intervention actions that need to be taken to avoid the situation from getting worse,” said Aznan, who is also Johor education and information committee chairman.