JOHOR BARU: The Johor Baru District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD) will take about a week to completely remove the contaminated waste from Tiong Nam Industrial Area, says Ling Tian Soon.
The Johor health and environment committee chairman said that the government will ensure that public safety and well-being are top priorities.
“The JPBD has announced plans to swiftly move the contaminated waste from the industrial area to a treatment facility within a week.
“At the same time, we urged the public not to panic, but to report any relevant information to the Johor Environment Department (DOE) or the Johor Baru District Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB),” he said in a statement here on Saturday (Sept 7).
Ling added that investigations are still ongoing regarding the major environmental incident in Kampung Melayu Pandan after complaints of foul-smelling black water were reported by local residents, which prompted the temporary closure of nearby schools.
“The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and the DOE launched an investigation in the early hours of Sept 3 following reports of black water and a strong chemical odour in the area.
“As a precaution, Sekolah Agama Kampung Melayu Pandan and KEMAS kindergarten were advised to close to prevent any health risks,” he said.
“The state government strongly condemns the illegal disposal of chemical waste, and the case is being investigated under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Those found guilty could face mandatory prison sentences and fines of up to RM10mil,” he added.
Ling added that on Sept 4, a team from DOE and a Hazmat unit conducted further inspections along Sungai Pandan.
“Initial findings suggest that the pollution may have originated from chemical waste disposed of in the Tiong Nam Industrial Area.
“Soil, water, and chemical waste samples were collected and sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
“The authorities also used drone surveillance and conducted water testing around the reported areas to monitor the spread of the pollution,” he said.
On Sept 5, Ling said that the Fire and Rescue Department received another report of a chemical odour from SK Taman Daya 3.
“However, when DOE and the fire department officials arrived at the school, no trace of the smell was detected,” he said.
In response to the growing concern, a special meeting of the JPBD was held on Sept 6, chaired by Johor Baru district officer Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman.
“The meeting focused on immediate solutions to contain the pollution.
“Authorities took swift action to cover the contaminated material with sawdust and canvas to prevent it from spreading further, especially through rainwater.
“DOE has been tasked with preparing a detailed plan for the removal of the chemical waste, with a report from the Chemistry Department expected on Sunday (Sept 8),” he said.
On Sept 6 at noon, JPBD received another report from the residents of Kampung Plentong Baru regarding a strong chemical odour coming from Sungai Plentong.
“Upon investigation, DOE and fire department officers found that the pollution was likely linked to illegal chemical waste dumping in the Taman Perindustrian Tropika area in Ulu Tiram.
“It is suspected to involve the same type of waste discovered in the Tiong Nam Industrial Area. Samples have also been collected for further analysis,” he said.
Earlier, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad was reported by Bernama saying that the odour pollution incident at Sungai Pandan here is under control, with no reports of residents being hospitalised.
He said so far, the pollution had only caused symptoms such as coughing, headaches, irritation, or nausea among those affected.
