MCA Youth Selangor has called for lawmakers at both state and federal levels to strengthen existing legislation, including the Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS) Enactment and the Water Services Industry Act (WSIA) 2006 to impose stricter penalties on water polluters.
Its chairman Tan Jie Sen said targeting water sources and infrastructure is akin to an act of terrorism and those responsible for discharging harmful effluents, including factory operators, owners and directors should face detention under preventive laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 to prevent these issues from reoccurring.
“To deter future offenses, we propose amending WSIA Section 121(1)(b) and (c) to mandate a minimum three-year jail sentence plus a fine of not less than RM1 mil, to be determined by Parliament,” he said in a statement on Thursday (July 25).
“Similarly, fines under the Local Government Act 1976 and the Environmental Quality Act, currently ranging from RM2,000 to RM5,000 and up to RM500,000 respectively, should be accompanied by mandatory jail terms and increased fines.”
On Tuesday (July 23) Selangor Public Health and Environment Committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin reported that checks by LUAS found that effluent from a leaking tank, believed to be polymethacrylic acid waste, had overflowed into drains and ditches up to Sungai Kuang, contaminating nearby rivers including Sungai Kundang and Sungai Sembah.
“For further clarity, Jamaliah should address the effectiveness of the RM2 mil allocated in October 2020 for four DJI Matrice 300 drones to monitor Selangor’s rivers and prevent water pollution,” Tan remarked.
“The recurring unscheduled water disruptions due to odorous pollution from contaminated river basins indicate shortcomings in the drone’s efficacy, with RM2 mil of taxpayer funds spilled and washed out in the stinking rivers.”
Tan further stressed the urgent need for enhanced surveillance and enforcement by the state’s water authorities and this include heightening the monitoring of legal factories near rivers and waterways while illegal factories must be swiftly shut down.
“We advocate increasing patrols along rivers, dams, and creeks to protect these vital water sources, particularly in the heavily urbanised Klang Valley, which houses Malaysia’s largest population,” he added. – July 25, 2024
Main pic credit: The Star
