3 HELD OVER DUMPING OF CHEMICAL
Chemical dumped in a Pasir Gudang river on Thursday
THREE men have been arrested in connection with the illegal chemical dumping in Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang on Thursday.
The three suspects, in their 40s and 50s, were factory owners and a factory worker.
Johor Department of Environ ment (DoE) director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said one of the suspects, the owner of a chemical processing factory, was arrested in Kulai at 7pm on Sunday.
“At 12.30pm today (yesterday), we arrested the owner of a recycling factory in Taman Pasir Putih and one of his employees,” Ezzani said at a factory belonging to one of the suspects in Pasir Gudang here.
Present was state Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal.
Ezzani said the first raid was conducted by DoE and the police after they received a chemistry report on the sample of the substance taken from Sungai Kim Kim.
“After receiving the report, we started to look for factories that process the same chemical identified in the sample and raided the factory in Kulai.
“Based on our checks, the chemicals found at the factory matched the substance dumped in Sungai Kim Kim.
“We are waiting for further tests. We have arrested the owner to assist in the investigation.”
He said the department raided another factory yesterday after receiving a tip-off.
“We found several packages of chemicals and when we asked one of the suspects, he said they would be disposed of.
“When we asked where they were to be disposed off, he said: ‘Over there’.
“So we suspect they would dump it in the river tonight (last night).”
The case is being investigated under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which carries a jail sentence of not more than five years or a fine of not more than RM500,000 or both, upon conviction.