JOHOR BAHRU – Three factories believed to be operating illegally in Pasir Gudang were raided and action taken against them by enforcement authorities in an integrated operations after the recent incident where residents suffered breathing difficulties and vomiting.
Director of the Johor Department of Environment (DOE) Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaafar said following the integrated operations by various agencies yesterday, the department stopped the operations of these factories and confiscated equipment in one factory while the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council (MPPG) sealed off the three factories.
“One factory was believed to be recycling used items such as plastics and oil. Another was dealing with metals and the third was separating solid wastes,” he told Bernama when contacted here today.
As of 5 pm yesterday, the integrated operations which included various government agencies like the DOE and the MPPG inspected 248 factories.
Also in the raiding party were Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin and chairman of the state Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment Committee Tan Cheng Choon.
Wan Abdul Latiff said 125 compounds were issued for disposal of scheduled wastes, 10 for industrial affluents and one for sewage plant.
He added that although the initial target of inspecting 250 factories was almost achieved, the department would continue with more inspections.
“We will continue to conduct as many (checks on factories) as possible. I want to do more (than 250 factories),” he said.
According to a posting on the DOE account on Facebook yesterday, the focus of the operations on Thursday was on illegal factories.
Besides the stop-work order, other action taken against these factories included Tenaga Nasional Bhd cutting off electricity supply.
-BERNAMA
