Iron mining pollutes several tributaries of Sungai Johor

Mine pollution ruins rivers
Sim Bak Heng, New Straits Times 23 Dec 09;

KOTA TINGGI: Mud from iron mining near the Kota Tinggi Waterfall here has polluted several tributaries of Sungai Johor, resulting in a drop in the number of campers and tourists visiting this eco-tou-rism destination.

The situation is particularly bad at Sungai Pelepah and Sungai Pele-pah Kiri in the the Gunung Panti recreational forest.

There is a campsite near Sungai Pelepah which the Johor Youth and Sports Department uses to organise outdoor activities. However, the number of camps at the site has been declining in recent months as mining has caused the river water to become murky most of the time, especially after heavy rain.

Malaysian Nature Society (Johor branch) adviser Vincent Chow said there must be a mechanism to filter the mud instead of draining it into the waterway.

Checks at the Kota Tinggi Waterfall Resort found that an embankment had been built to prevent the mud water from flowing into the vicinity of the resort.

A caterer, who only gave her name as Ani, said she might have to find a different campsite because of the lack of piped water.

"Food preparation is not much of a problem as there is one tap supplying piped water at the campsite.

"However, it is a huge problem when campers come back and wait for their turn to bathe at the pipe," she said.

A camper, who gave her name as Nurhidayah, said there was no fun in camping beside a river in which she could not swim.

She said the situation was different when she came here a year ago.