Farik Zolkepli The Star 4 Jun 10;
PENGERANG: The week-long clean-up of the oil spill here finally ended two days ago with thousands of bags of sludge removed from the sea by a 300-strong clean-up crew.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas confirmed the operation was over.
“I am satisfied with the way the agencies, especially the Department of Environment (DOE) carried out their duties after I instructed them to conclude the operation within three days.
“We still have some minor cleaning up to do but for the most part, the clean-up operation has been completed,” he said in an interview here yesterday.
Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 collided with bulk carrier MV Waily in the strait, about 13km southeast of Changi East on Monday morning, resulting in the oil spill.
Uggah added that the operation would not have been successful without the cooperation of local fishermen, shipping companies as well as the Kota Tinggi district office.
Uggah, who had expressed his dissatisfaction on the clean-up operation on Sunday, said he was happy the agencies had responded well.
“They (the agencies’ officers) told me they needed 10 days to complete the operation.
“I told them to cut the red tape and get it done in three days,” he said.
Douglas said that in times of emergency, there should be little protocol involved.
Media Prima staff save beach
Sim Bak Heng and Ling Poh Lean New Straits Times 4 Jun 10;
KOTA TINGGI: Staff of Media Prima Bhd (MPB) and its two subsidiaries -- TV3 and The New Straits Times Press -- translated their love for the environment into action when about 100 of them took part in cleaning up two stretches of oil slicks at Teluk Ramunia, Pengerang, yesterday.
The staff of three companies left Sri Pentas and Balai Berita in Bangsar in two buses and four vans at 12.30am and reached the beach, which is part of the coastlines affected by oil spills, at 6.30am.
They started cleaning the beach at 9am. The fine weather was perfect for the gotong-royong exercise themed "Save Our Beach", which lasted until 5pm.
MPB executive director (news) Datuk Ahmad A. Talib, who led the team, said the beach clean-up programme was among the community service projects mooted by the group to reach out to the people in time of need and to save the environment.
He said all participants had contributed their efforts whole-heartedly.
"The exercise is aimed to give exposure to our staff on environmental preservation. Following this success, we have decided to form a volunteer squad from our group to render assistance during emergency when voluntary efforts are needed."
Ahmad said the group would also establish a closer rapport with the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and Mercy Malaysia in future community service projects.
NSTP senior manager (event and corporate communication) Wan Abdillah Wan Nawi said he was glad the exercise could be carried out in such a short notice, and hoped it would be able to instil the spirit of environmental awareness among the staff.
Tanjung Surat state assemblyman Datuk Harun Abdullah, who was present, expressed his gratitude over the initiative taken by MPB and its subsidiaries to extend their helping hands in cleaning the beach.
"I think this is an effective way in building a close bonding between the people and the media."
About 2,000 tonnes of crude oil spilled into the waters off the coast here after tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, laden with 61,800 tonnes of crude oil, collided with cargo vessel MV Waily on May 25.
In Kuala Lumpur, the State Environment Department in a statement said 17.8km of the shores between Tanjung Pengelih and Tanjung Pinggai had been cleared of oil slicks.
A total of 10,761 bags containing oil and sand were collected during the cleaning operation.
It said the next effort will be focussed on Sungai Bongko (400m) and Sungai Haji Ahmad (160m).
On detection of oil slicks, the public can call the department's hotline at 1-800-88-2727.
