Duo nabbed over river pollution as water disruption continues

Two men suspected of involvement in the pollution of Sungai Batang Benar, Negeri Sembilan and Sungai Semenyih near Kuala Lumpur were picked up by the police yesterday.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the men, in their 30s and 40s, were nabbed in Kota Bahru while on the way back to Nilai.

“I have not received the complete report on the case. The incident was investigated by Negeri Sembilan police. Give us some time to investigate as we cannot be hasty,” he told reporters after an event in Kuala Lumpur today.

In Seremban, Negeri Sembilan deputy police chief SAC Che Zakaria Othman said the men are being investigated under Section 430 of the Penal Code.

This follows a police report lodged by the National Water Services Commission or SPAN on Monday.

Che Zakaria said a forensic team had taken samples from what is believed to be the location of waste dumping.

“Police also sized a lorry and transportation documents,” he told a media conference at Negeri Sembilan police contingent headquarters today.

Che Zakaria said the men who worked as a driver and lorry assistant of a transport company in Kelantan have been remanded for seven days from today.

On Monday, the environment and water ministry was reported as saying that waste and organic compounds found in the bushes on the fringes of the Nilai Industrial Park was believed to have caused pollution in the river.

The pollution caused a halt in operations at two water treatment plants in Sungai Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi, resulting in an unscheduled disruption in water supply for 309,687 consumer accounts in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang.