The Star 25 Apr 19;
JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean company director wanted in connection with the chemical pollution in Sungai Kim Kim near Pasir Gudang last month has surrendered to police.
According to Bernama, Johor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Kamaruddin Md Din said the 49-year-old man turned himself in at the Seri Alam district police headquarters at 11.17am yesterday.
The suspect is being detained at the Seri Alam district police lock-up, he said.
“Investigation papers have been referred to the office of the Johor state prosecution director with a proposal for charges under the Environment Act 1974. Police are waiting for further instruction from the prosecution director’s office,” he said in a statement.
So far, 11 people had been detained for questioning and three were charged in court on March 24 under Section 34B(1)(A) of the Environment Quality Act 1974.
The three accused are Singaporean Wang Jin Chao, 34, and Malaysians Yap Yoke Liang, 36, and lorry driver N. Maridass, 35.
According to the charge sheet, Maridass is accused of illegally disposing chemicals into Sungai Kim Kim on March 7, while Wang and Yap are accused of conspiring with him.
Yap and Wang were also charged under Section 42 of the same Act.
If convicted, they could be jailed up to five years and fined a maximum of RM500,000.
Last month, the chemical dump in Sungai Kim Kim affected the health of thousands of people, including students, forcing the state government to close 111 schools near the affected areas.
A total of 5,848 children and adults have been treated at clinics and hospitals since March 8 due to the toxic waste pollution.
Seventy police reports have been filed by the affected families.
Director wanted in pollution case arrested
Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 24 Apr 19;
JOHOR BARU: A factory director who is wanted in connection with the Sungai Kim Kim pollution case has been arrested.
Johor deputy police chief Datuk Kamarudin Md Din said the 49-year-old Singaporean surrendered at the Seri Alam police headquarters at 11.17am today.
"He is currently being held in the lockup. Investigation papers have been submitted to the Johor prosecution office director with the proposal to charge the suspect under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and read together with Section 42 of the same Act," said Kamarudin in a statement.
He said police were waiting for instructions from the prosecution office before taking the next course of action.
Last month, P Tech Resources Sdn Bhd and two of its directors Yap Yoke Liang and Wang Jing Chao were each charged at the Sessions Court with 15 offences under two environmental regulations.
They each are facing eight charges under Regulation 16 (1) of the Environmental Quality Regulations (Clean Air) 2014 and seven charges under Regulation 3 (1) of the Environmental Quality Regulations (Scheduled Wastes) 2004.
Earlier, Yap and Wang, along with lorry driver N. Maridass, were charged at the same court for illegally disposing of scheduled substances into Sungai Kim Kim in early March.
Singaporean charged with abetting three others for polluting Sg Kim Kim
The Star 25 Apr 19;
JOHOR BARU (Bernama): A non-executive director of a used tyre processing factory was charged in the Sessions Court with abetting three others over the disposal of scheduled wastes into Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang last month.
Sim Wei Der, 50, who is a Singapore national, however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read out to him before Judge Jailani Rahman on Thursday (April 25).
According to the charge sheet, Sim was charged with abetting N. Maridass, 35, Yap Yoke Liang, 42 and Wang Jing Chao, 34, to dispose of oil wastes and sludges, which were listed in the First Schedule of the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005 into Sungai Kim Kim, using a lorry and a semi-trailer tank.
The disposal of the wastes was done without prior approval from the director-general of Environmental Quality.
He is alleged to have committed the offence near the Sungai Kim Kim bridge-widening project site, Jalan Kota Masai 1, Pasir Gudang, between 12.01am and 1am on March 7.
The charge, under Section 34B (1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, read together with Section 42 and punishable under Section 34(B)(4) of the same Act, carries a maximum jail term of five years and fine of RM500,000 upon conviction.
The court allowed Sim bail of RM250,000 with two local sureties and ordered him to report to the Pasir Gudang police station on the 15th of every month.
May 23 was set for mention.
The prosecution was represented by Johor prosecution director Amir Nasruddin while Sim was represented by lawyer Joshua Tay. - Bernama
