8 men remanded a week over Sungai Selangor pollution

Eight men, including a director of a company which repairs and sells construction machinery, were remanded for seven days from today in connection with the Sungai Selangor pollution which caused a disruption in water supply in the Klang Valley earlier this week.

Magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Nik Azlan issued the remand order against the men, aged 28 to 66, following an application by the police.

The company director, 31, his 62-year-old father, and six employees comprising two locals and four foreigners from Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar were remanded.

They are being held for investigation in accordance with Section 430 of the Penal Code for allegedly committing mischief by causing a diminution in the supply of water for agricultural purposes, or for food or drink for human beings or for animals.

The section provides for a jail term of between five and 30 years, a fine, or both upon conviction.

The eight men were brought to the Selayang courts complex at 9am today. They were arrested in Rawang at 11.30am yesterday.

Air Selangor detected an abnormal odour at the raw water source in Sungai Selangor at 12.38am on Monday, bringing operations at the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant to a halt.

The shutdown disrupted piped water supply to 1,292 areas in several Klang Valley districts.