Minister says water sabotaged and contaminated in Malaysia’s most industrialised state

Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jeyakumar say police have found evidence of sabotage in the water contamination in Selangor.

“I was informed that the police have identified elements of sabotage,” said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister in a tweet Monday (July 22).

Earlier he made a statement in which he says he requested the police to investigate the diesel spillage which contaminated raw water in a river in Malaysia’s most industrialised state, Selangor.

The water in the river, the Sungai Selangor, was contaminated after diesel spills were detected in some areas on July 21.

The Minister considered this an act of sabotage and that he discussed with the Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, to whom he appealed for an investigation.

“I wish to ensure that the mastermind behind this incident is apprehended and punished according to the law,” he says in a statement issued to the media.

The contamination had resulted in the shutdown of Sungai Selangor Water Treatment Plant Phases 1, 2 and 3 and the Rantau Panjang Water Treatment Plant between 6 pm to 8.15pm yesterday evening.

The plants were back in operation at 3.30am this morning but some areas in Selangor are without water today.

Selangor’s sand mining concessionaire Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) also did not rule out the possibility of sabotage, says Malaysiakini.

The agency says it is currently investigating the cause of the incident from all angles, including the possibility of sabotage, and will provide additional information in due time.

The diesel spill was detected by the agency.

Selangor has had its battles against water shortage in the past.

On the other hand, The Star daily says the National Water Services Commission (Span) has lodged a police report on the two incidents of river pollution in Sungai Selangor.

Span chairman Charles Santiago said they hoped the police would investigate if there were elements of sabotage in both incidents adding that it is a crime under Section 121 of the Water Services Industry Act, 2006 to cause the contamination of water. -/TISG