Oil palm factory fined RM150,000 for polluting air, breaching licence conditions

SEREMBAN: An oil palm factory in Gemas was yesterday fined a total of RM150,000 by the Sessions Court here for violating the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

Judge Diana Md Razali meted out the fine on Classic Palm Oil Mill Sdn Bhd after finding that the company, represented by its engineer, Hidayah Md Said, 35, failed to raise reasonable doubts against the case at the end of the defence case.

The company was charged with eight counts of violating the Environmental Quality Act 1974, six of the charges for causing air pollution and was fined RM20,000 on each count.

The offences were for failing to inform the Director-General not later than one hour of the failure in the operation of its air pollution control system as provided under Regulation 8 of the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014.

The company also failed to conduct performance monitoring of its air pollution control system as required under Section 9 (b) of the same regulations.

The other two offences were for violating the conditions of the licence issued, for which the company was fined RM15,000 on each count.

All the offenses were committed at the factory in Kampung Tiong, Gemas, between 12.10pm and 3.10pm between Oct 24, 2020, and April 5, 2021.

The prosecution was handled by prosecuting officers Muhamad Fitri Soroni and Zainoorliza Zainal Abidin, from the Negeri Sembilan Department of Environment, while the company was represented by lawyer Joseph Mathews.

Earlier, during mitigation, Joseph said the company has been in operation for 13 years of operation and ut happened during the Covid-19 period when there were restrictions regarding the number of workers who could enter the factory.