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KUALA LUMPUR: Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has called for tougher penalties to be imposed on those responsible for water pollution and that water resources be treated as a safety issue.
He said on Twitter tonight that the Water Services Industry Act and the Environmental Quality Act should be amended to provide tougher penalties for those who pollute water resources.
“Water resources must be treated as a matter of national security. I will take it to the Cabinet, ”he said.
Selangor police said tonight that statements will be taken from the owners of a factory suspected of being responsible for the contamination. A police investigation into odor contamination was launched in the Sungai Gong area of Rawang after two complaints were made.
Earlier today, Khairy said that he has requested a quick analysis of contaminated raw water samples taken from the Sungai Gong area, Rawang, Bernama reported.
He said the Chemistry Department had received samples from the factory believed to be responsible for the contamination. The samples were taken by the Department of the Environment (DoE), the Selangor water management authority and the Ministry of Health.
“I have instructed you to expedite these analyzes. Once the results are known, we will send them to the Department of Energy for further action, ”he said.
Four water treatment plants in Sungai Selangor and Rantau Panjang remained closed today, with the pollution level at number 1 on the threshold odor scale (TON), Selangor’s water company Air Selangor said today.
“Water treatment plants can only operate when the level of contamination reaches zero TON,” said a company statement tonight.
A total of 1,292 areas in seven regions of the Klang Valley suffered water supply interruptions since 10 a.m. yesterday. The affected areas are in the districts of Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang / Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.
