KUALA LUMPUR: The people want more proactive measures from the Department of Environment (DoE) and other government agencies to ensure the safety of the people following the second case of toxic pollution in Pasir Gudang.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said such action was important to prevent any more untoward incidents that affected the people’s health.
“What we need now is proactive actions and not reactive actions in order to prevent a recurrence of an incident, which many have dubbed as the ‘Second Sungai Kim Kim pollution’ case.
“The authorities must take stern action against those responsible for polluting the environment and threatening public health,” he said in a statement today.
He urged all relevant authorities to collaborate and leave no stone unturned to determine the source of the toxic pollution that forced the closure of schools in Pasir Gudang.
“They must ensure that the Pasir Gudang community, including its schools and residential areas are safe. They must ensure that the industries in the vicinity will not remain a threat to the environment there,” he said.
Lee said NIOSH was ready to provide assistance like it did in the first Sungai Kim Kim incident in March.
“As in the first incident, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) office in Johor Baru is willing to provide assistance with the help of our headquarters in Bandar Baru Bangi, which has the facilities and expertise in the monitoring of chemical pollution,” he said.
The latest incident has forced the Education Ministry to close all 475 institutions of learning in the Pasir Gudang area until tomorrow (Thursday) to enable authorities to address the source of the contamination.
