LETTER | Selangor water disruption – need to get to root of the crisis

LETTER | The frustration and anger of Selangor residents is most understandable as yet another unscheduled water cut left over millions affected.

The shutdown yesterday has been attributed to illegal dumping of effluents into an Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) manhole that polluted Sungai Selangor.

It is clear that the authorities are not able to get to the source of the problem – which is to prevent such illegal dumping of effluents and wastes into our rivers.

Despite the recent announcements of the Minister of Environment and Water (Mewa) Tuan Ibrahim bin Mat in establishing an Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU) to increase monitoring and enforcement with added cooperation between the ministry, police and the armed forces to protect our nation’s resources from contamination, it appears that our authorities have not got their act together.

The public needs to know if the ECU has been activated and what measures are being taken and how the federal authorities are working with the Selangor state government to prevent such illegal dumping from occurring.

SAM calls on the minister to explain the efforts being taken by the authorities to act speedily.

Public patience is running out and we need answers urgently.

The writer is president, Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

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