RAWANG: Authorities have revealed that the rented premises used to store barrels of chemical waste, believed to be the cause of the Sungai Selangor pollution, had no operating licence.
Selangor state Local Local Government, Public Transportation and New Village Development executive councillor Ng Sze Han said the premises had been closed without anyone knowing what was happening inside.
"Property owners should be responsible and must know who they are renting out their space to.
"This is to ensure that there are no illegal activities being conducted in their premises."
He added that the property owner was responsible for appointing waste management centre Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd to properly dispose of the waste.
Ng was at the rented facility in Taman Velox, Rawang, which had stored about 40 barrels of chemical waste.
Each barrel could fill 1,000 litres of liquid, with some already emptied.
Ng said 16 other premises, mostly heavy machinery workshops, in the industrial area were either unlicensed or had expired licenses.
He added that all unlicensed premises had been ordered to close.
"The effluent that we dispose of in sewage holes or drains will reach our rivers and pollute our waters. We cannot be selfish, and must follow the proper steps.
"The Selangor government will not compromise and will take strict action against those found guilty," he added.
Meanwhile, Selangor MCA state liaison committee chairman Datuk Ng Chok Sin claimed that the Selangor government had failed to rein in both legal and illegal factories in the state, resulting in a lapse of enforcement.
He said residents in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur had been forced to put up with water crises countless times, and had to suffer from water cuts at an interval of three weeks since September and monthly since February.
Chok Sin also questioned the effectiveness of the four drones, said to be worth RM2 million, purchased to monitor water catchment areas.
"Where is the promised improvement in surveillance and monitoring?
"The Selangor government's failure is inexcusable. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and his excos should resign for their failure to make amends, as they have failed to give the people the confidence that they can realistically improve the water situation in Selangor."
Four suspects, including two directors of a roadworks construction company linked to the latest water pollution incident in Sungai Selangor have been remanded for seven days beginning today.
The suspects comprised a 40-year old woman and 43-year old man who are the company directors, and two workers including a foreigner from Bangladesh aged 42 and 33 respectively.
Four major water treatment plants (WTP) in Selangor were forced to shut due to the pollution incident, causing water supply disruptions to over 1.13 million accounts in 1,279 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.