(File pic) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said the incident could instead be an act of negligence. (NSTP/AZHAR RAMLI)
(File pic) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said the incident could instead be an act of negligence. (NSTP/AZHAR RAMLI)

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have ruled out sabotage behind the recent contamination of Sungai Selangor, which had caused major water disruptions in the Klang Valley.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said the incident could instead be an act of negligence.

“Initially, we thought it could be the act of sabotage by individuals.

“However, after we detained two suspects as part of our investigations, certain facts revealed that it was not due to sabotage but negligence.

“We are also looking into the aspect of false police reports lodged trying to cover the interest of certain company.

“If it was an act of sabotage, there would be some technical aspects involved, but we are satisfied to rule out sabotage at the moment,” he told reporters after the launch of the Autism Guideline roadshow, here, today.

Abdul Hamid said employees of the company employed by the state government to do the clean up, might have "out of negligence, allowed diesel to spill into the river.”

“The investigation is on-going. I think in a few days time we will be able to see for sure what really happened there,” he said, adding no new arrests had been made so far.

On July 24, the police detained two suspects; a pontoon manager and his worker to help in the investigatation.

“One of them will have their remand extended to further facilitate the investigation,” said Hamid.

Earlier, one of the two suspects had lodged a police report, claiming that anglers who were fishing near the pontoon had poured diesel into the river.

The pollution had forced four water treatment plants (LRAs) to cease operations and led to a massive water supply disruption.