THE state government will be appealing to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s (DPP) office to review the Johor Baru Sessions Court’s decision to fine a company RM320,000 for polluting Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang in 2019.
State housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor (pic) said that Sungai Kim Kim was one of 14 polluted rivers in the state that have now recovered.
“The court’s decision to impose a fine of RM320,000 on the company behind the pollution incident is something that needs to be reviewed.
The government will make a plea to the DPP to see if what has been sentenced is fair to what the government has spent and the effect the incident has brought to the nearby residents,” he told reporters after the state assembly sitting yesterday.
Mohd Jafni, who is also Johor Rivers Committee co-chairman, said it is high time for the government to be more strict in terms of enforcement in order to protect the environment. Introduced in August, the committee is co- chaired by state tourism, environment, heritage and culture committee chairman K. Raven Kumar.
“A monthly meeting is held to oversee the river clean-up operations carried out statewide,” he said, adding that the committee also comprises the Irrigation and Drainage Department, local councils, district offices, Environment Department (DOE), Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) and Plan Malaysia.
DOE said in a statement on Saturday that a lorry driver has been fined RM100,000 for causing pollution through the illegal disposal of scheduled waste in Sungai Kim Kim in 2019. It added that P Tech Resources Sdn Bhd, which faced eight charges under the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014, was also fined RM40,000 for each charge, making it a total of RM320,000.
The incident affected the health of more than 2,000 people and caused 111 schools in Pasir Gudang to close following the dumping of toxic waste in Sungai Kim Kim on March 7 that year.
Meanwhile, Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the ease of mobility, development of main infrastructure and introduction of tax incentives are expected to strengthen the foundation of the proposed Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
“SEZ will become the catalyst for propelling the Johor economy (to greater heights) and the state government welcomes the suggestion made by Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the recent 10th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat,” he said during his winding-up speech at the state assembly.
To ensure a smooth mobility of workers and goods, he said multiple-entry visas and special passes should be introduced, and there should be adequate Immigration and Customs manpower as well as the usage of QR codes at the CIQs.
Onn Hafiz also spoke about the importance of completing the main infrastructure such as a special lane from the Second Link towards Forest City, the light rail transit, high-speed rail, ferry services and a landing point for air taxis. He said the Special Financial Zone (SFZ), which is part of the SEZ, will attract the international financial industry to expand to Forest City.
“The Johor government will also be looking at the holistic economic development of the Ibrahim International Business District, Ibrahim Technopolis, Muar Furniture Park, Petrochemical Hub Development in Pengerang, Southeast Johor Development Authority (Kejora) and East Coast Economic Region Development Council,” he added.
