Unit to be formed to tackle environmental crimes

PETALING JAYA: An environmental crimes unit will be set up to tackle illegal activities that could harm the country’s natural resources and threaten the people’s well-being.

Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said plans were in place to coordinate efforts between the ministry, police and the armed forces to protect precious resources from contamination.

“I have spoken to Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and will be speaking to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin about coordinating our efforts and set up the unit within the police force,” he said.

He said Ismail Sabri had already agreed in principle to put the Environment and Water Ministry under the security cluster as any threats to natural resources could have detrimental effects on lives and the economy.

Tuan Ibrahim said this during his visit to the

Air Selangor Water Treatment Plant in Bestari Jaya to get updates on water supply restoration efforts to households in the Klang Valley.

Last week, an unscheduled water cut affected 1,292 areas around the Klang Valley after the water source in Sungai Selangor was polluted.

The contamination was later traced to a factory in Rawang which conducted heavy machinery maintenance.

The factory was previously fined RM60,000 for committing a similar offence in March and it was discovered that unsystematic cleaning methods at the factory had caused contaminants to be washed into Sungai Gong, a tributary of Sungai Selangor.

Separately, Tuan Ibrahim said water had been restored to at least 91% of account holders and supply was expected to be fully restored by 6am today.

“Three phases of the Sungai Selangor plant have been filled up with their usual capacity of 2.7 billion litres of water a day to ensure supplies are quickly restored to affected households.

“We advise everyone to remain calm and not hoard too much water and not be influenced by false information on social media about another water cut.

“There is no need to panic,” he said.

We advise everyone to remain calm and not hoard too much water and not be influenced by false information on social media about another water cut.

Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man