Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the pollutant that caused disruption of water supply in several districts in Selangor over the past two days was identified as poly-methacrylic acid (PMAA).
He said the chemical substance was leaked from storage tanks located at a business premises in Kuang that produce acrylic products.
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He said the chemical substance was leaked from storage tanks located at a business premises in Kuang that produce acrylic products.
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NewsTranscript
00:00This is the acrylic compound, and this is the resin.
00:06Today, I have made a surprise visit to the mill that processes acrylic materials
00:12in the industrial area of the Kampung Orang Asli street, Kuang, Rawang, Selangor.
00:18This is the sequence of smog incidents and the cessation of the LRA long-distance task of the Selangor River.
00:24Results of the LRA inspection found that the source of the smog is due to the leakage of chemicals
00:30known as Polymethacrylic Acid, PMAA, from the storage tank,
00:36which is a product produced by the premise in the form of liquid.
00:41It is a form of recycled metal that we import from abroad,
00:48and then it is changed into a liquid form for us to recycle.
00:54The leakage of these chemicals has caused the release of smog,
00:58because of the characteristics of PMAA chemicals that have a strong smell.
01:02The action of the JAS so far, first, the instructions have been issued by the JAS
01:08to the premise workers to carry out cleaning work in the premises,
01:14and the work has been carried out.
01:19Second, three samples of evidence have also been taken and have been submitted to the Malaysian Chemistry Department
01:25for the test of composition determination and determination.
01:29And third, in addition to that, the premises operation area,
01:32as well as the equipment of the process have been described by the JAS
01:36through the issuance of a notice of maintenance of the operation of the equipment
01:40under Section 38.1a of the Natural Quality Act 1974 until the investigation is completed.
01:47And fourth, the JAS has also opened the investigation paper for the law enforcement
01:52and the explanation has already been taken.
01:54The JAS has also confirmed the detention of two individuals so far to assist the investigation,
01:59a citizen and another foreigner,
02:02and the case is investigated under Section 25 of the Natural Quality Act 1974,
02:08under Section 2024.
02:10The government considers it a serious crime against the environment,
02:13and this has been translated through the move of the Act,
02:17which stipulates a mandatory prison sentence of up to five years
02:20and a maximum sentence of up to RM10 million.
02:23If it used to be RM100,000, now it has increased to RM10 million
02:26if convicted of water pollution.
02:30The industry has not played an important role in ensuring the operation of the farm
02:35and the premise is to meet all environmental requirements
02:39and not cause environmental pollution.
02:42One of the problems we see in today's case is the first, the siting of the factory.
02:49If it is placed where there is a water treatment lodge below,
02:53then it will have an effect if there is an emission or effluent coming out.
02:58Second, sometimes what is stated to the JAS,
03:01if it wants to do something related to plastic,
03:04it has to do EIA and so on.
03:06Sometimes what is stated and implemented are two different things,
03:11and that is one of the sources of the problem.
03:14Is there a large scale operation of the farm?
03:18What we suspect so far is that it has a license to operate the farm,
03:23but the activities it does are different from what is stated in the declaration.
03:30So there is still a permit for that?
03:33We are also suspecting that they have a KAP,
03:37if they bring in plastic materials from abroad.
03:40Because of that, there are very strict conditions
03:43at the moment they bring in waste from abroad.