Five people were today charged in connection with the pollution in Sungai Gong in Selangor, which caused water supply disruption to millions of people in the Klang Valley, recently.

Bernama reported that brothers Yip Kok Wai, 53, Yip Kok Mun, 58, Yip Kok Kuin, 70, and Yip Kok Wong, 60, who are the board of directors of Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd, and the company workshop's manager Ho Voon Leong, pleaded not guilty to charges against them, before judge Syafeera Mohd Said at the Selayang Sessions Court.

The first charge against them was under Section 430 of the Penal Code, for committing mischief at the workshop at Kg Sungai Dua, Rawang between last Sept 2 and 3, by causing hazardous waste from the workshop to flow into Sungai Gong, a tributary of Sungai Selangor, hence causing a diminution of water supply for human consumption.

For this offence, they can be jailed for up to 30 years, or fined, or both, upon conviction.

The five men were also jointly slapped with another count under Section 25 (1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, with emitting environmentally hazardous substances from the workshop into a waterway, which then flowed into Sungai Gong, without a licence at the same place and time.

If found guilty under this charge, the accused can be jailed up to five years, fined RM100,000, or both.

The court denied bail for all accused and set Oct 27 for mention.

The pollution incident forced the suspension of operations at four Sungai Selangor water treatment plants earlier this month, disrupting water supply to 1,292 areas in the Klang Valley.

It has been previously reported that the factory at the centre of the pollution had been operating without a licence since 2014, and had also constructed building structures within their premises without any written permission from the local authorities.

Besides, the same factory had also been fined RM60,000 for committing a similar offence (pollution), back in March this year.


Source: Bernama
Photo source: Malay Mail