KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be in Pasir Gudang, Johor today to gauge the current situation and whether it necessitates an emergency.
The deputy prime minister said subsequently a meeting would be held between the state government and relevant authorities before reaching a decision.
“I will be in Pasir Gudang in the evening to look at the current situation and how to deal with matter, which include (declaring an) emergency. As of now, the problem is considered to be of state-level (crisis). It has to be a national-level (crisis).
“This is something worrying and we need to take all measures necessary to ensure the safety of the people and especially children.
“(On declaring an emergency) we will have a meeting on that. We must consider (on how to tactfully) resolve the issue. We do not want to create panic,” Dr Wan Azizah told the media today at the parliament.
The recent chemical waste dumping incident in Sungai Kim Kim has so far led to 506 people, mostly students, being hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes emanating from the chemical waste.
The education ministry has also ordered all 111 schools in the district to be closed indefinitely.
Dr Wan Azizah also said the government was prepared to carry out an evacuation from affected areas in the district as suggested by the fire and rescue department.
“We also want to take action as recommended by the (Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin ) minister.
“We want to take long-term measures (to prevent such cases from recurring),” Dr Wan Azizah said referring to Yeo’s proposal for a stiffer penalty against illegal dumping of chemicals.