BY LIZAWATI MADFA
SHAH ALAM, OCT 27: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) is currently reviewing existing laws regarding water pollution for more severe punishment to be imposed.
NRE Minister Dato’ Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that among those being reviewed are the Environmental Act 1974, Selangor Waters Management Authority 1999 and Water Service Industry Act 2006.
He said that appropriate punishment would be stated in the investigation report before submission to the Attorney General (AG).
The need to review all possible punishment is crucial as it has to be comparable to damages affecting 1.6 million users.
“Stern action needs to be taken as soon as possible to show that we are serious in managing the Semenyih River pollution issue,” he said.
Previously, he had a discussion with Dato’ Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali with regards to the water pollution issue which caused the Semenyih Water Treatment Plant (LRA) to be shutdown for more than 5 times this year.
Beside Junaidi, NRE was also represented by Deputy Chief Secretary Dato’ Dr Azimuddin Bahari; Minister Political Secretary Dato’ Seri Syed Hamzah Syed Paie; Director General of the Department of Environment (DOE) Malaysia, Dato ‘Ahmad Kamarulnajuib Che Ibrahim and Director of Selangor DOE, Siti Zaleha Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Azmin was accompanied by Environment Exco Elizabeth Wong; Chief Executive Officer of Management Selangor Water Sdn Bhd (Selangor Water) Suhaimi Kamaralzaman; Acting Director of the Selangor Water Management Authority (SWMA), Noa Zamri Sondor and Deputy Director of Selangor Water, Abas Abdullah.
NRE: To implement more severe laws
