Water woes: A recipe for repeat offences

Water being tested at Air Selangor’s Labohan Dagang Water Treatment Plant. — SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star

The monitoring and enforcement abilities of the Department of Environment (DOE) and Selangor’s environment, green technology, science, technology and innovation, and consumer affairs committee have to be questioned – do they have the ability to carry out their responsibilities adequately?

Weaknesses in environmental monitoring and enforcement of laws, combined with measly fines for polluters, create a recipe for repeat offences. Economic pressures will exacerbate this situation as irresponsible and greedy companies ignore ethics, laws and environmental impacts to cut costs. It’s clear that regulatory enforcement against polluters needs to be greatly improved.