‘Impose stiffer penalties on Sungai Rui polluters’
GEORGE TOWN: Environmental group Sahabat Alam Malaysia has called for stiffer penalties to be imposed on polluters of Sungai Rui following the discovery of arsenic elements.
Its president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the setting up of a monitoring committee would ensure no one was polluting the river.
“SAM is concerned with the recent arsenic pollution in Sungai Rui in Grik, Perak, as it is not only affecting the water quality and marine ecosystem, but the lives of humans.
“We urge the Perak government, the Department of Environment, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage and the local authority to conduct continuous monitoring to ensure the mining operation, which is believed to be the cause of the pollution, no longer carries out unlawful activities.
“We hope this issue is given serious attention by the state government as, if left unattended, the environment and residents who live near the river will be affected,” he said yesterday.
Hundreds of villagers in Grik were reported to be living in fear following the discovery of arsenic elements in Sungai Rui.
They said they knew the 60kmlong river was heavily polluted for many years, but were not aware that arsenic was among the contaminants.
Idris said SAM regretted that though Sungai Rui had been polluted for more than 30 years, no adequate action had been taken by the authorities to overcome the problem.
“We believe if the condition persists, there will be threats and adverse effects, like the disaster that hit Sungai Kim Kim in Johor,” he added.