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PETALING JAYA: The four brothers suspected of causing a widespread water shortage in Selangor by polluting Sungai Gong, Rawang, will appear in court next week.
The brothers own the factory that allegedly contaminated Sungai Gong, leaving nearly 1.2 million consumer accounts in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur without water since Thursday morning after four treatment plants ceased operations.
They were arrested last night and are in custody for six days, starting today.
“The perpetrators will be prosecuted next week under the Environmental Quality Law (Law 127) and the Water Services Industry Law (Law 655),” said the Minister of Environment and Water, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, in a statement today.
“The ministry will not undertake to enforce the law against anyone in accordance with the legal provisions,” he added.
Selangor state executive councilor for the environment Hee Loy Sian told state media channel TV Selangor yesterday that the factory provides service and maintenance for machinery and heavy equipment.
The company had previously been fined RM60,000 for a similar offense.
Tuan Ibrahim also said that the Environmental Quality Act, the Water Services Industry Act, and the SPAN Act of 2006 (Act 654) would be amended to increase the penalties under the laws.
Tuan Ibrahim’s statement comes after Klang deputy Charles Santiago, who was president of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), asked the federal government to sue the company responsible for allegedly causing the pollution.
Santiago also said that Tuan Ibrahim should resign if the government does not sue the company within a month.
