PETALING JAYA: The Environment Department (DOE) says it is monitoring an oil spill at the Tanjung Langsat Port Terminal (TLPT) in Johor.
In a statement Friday, DOE director-general Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the department had received a report on the oil spill on April 3.
He added that it was caused by a pipeline leak from the terminal tank to a vessel at the jetty.
"It is estimated that 1.6 cubic metres of oil has spilled into the sea," Wan Abdul Latiff said.
He added that a DOE investigation team had conducted inspections and collected samples at the incident site, which were sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.
"Unloading operations were immediately halted and the TLPT emergency response team was activated.
"Two units of oil booms were deployed using several boats and aerial monitoring using drones was conducted.
"Based on the inspections carried out, no more oil patches were visible on the water's surface," he said.
Wan Abdul Latiff said DOE is conducting continuous monitoring at TLPT and the surrounding coastal areas of Pasir Gudang.
The DOE also said that Singapore's Marine Port Authority (MPA) had been notified and reports indicated that the beaches at Changi and the Ferry Terminal had been contaminated with oil.
"As of Friday afternoon, the oil pollution in Malaysian waters has been successfully controlled, and TLPT has been instructed to report the status of oil control and cleanup actions regularly until operations can be concluded," the statement added.
Wan Abdul Latiff also said relevant agencies such as the Southern Region Marine Department and the Johor Port Authority would coordinate with DOE to continue monitoring beaches and the sea to ensure the area is free of oil pollution.
DOE also urged the public to report any oil pollution incidents via its toll-free line at 1-800-88-2727.
