Fishy Business: Johor's Environmental Quest for Clean Waters

30 Mar 2024 • 9:30 PM MYT
Evon Anak Jerim
Evon Anak Jerim

An admin manager by profession and a consultant. Passionate about writing.

image is not available
Malaymail

The Johor Department of Environment (DoE) has launched an investigation into a sewage treatment plant suspected of causing indiscriminate water pollution, following the discovery of hundreds of dead fish at Taman Matahari lake in Bandar Indahpura, Kulai.

Johor's Health and Environment Committee chairman, Ling Tian Soon, revealed that the probe was initiated in response to public complaints about the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that the fish mortality was triggered by water contamination resulting from a dark effluent discharged from a nearby drain linked to the sewage treatment facility.

According to Ling, initial investigations uncovered damage to the plant's component treatment system, leading to its malfunction. Moreover, there are suspicions that the plant may have been discharging sewage effluent directly, bypassing the necessary filtration processes.

Responding to the concerning incident, Ling emphasized that on-site assessments were conducted, revealing a decline in water quality at both the sewage plant discharge point and Taman Matahari lake. In light of these findings, a directive was issued to the sewage treatment plant, mandating immediate actions to halt pollution and repair the faulty system.

Furthermore, Ling, who also serves as the Yong Peng assemblyman, announced forthcoming enforcement measures. The Johor DoE's industrial enforcement unit, in collaboration with the Kulai Municipal Council's health and engineering divisions, will conduct follow-up inspections to ensure compliance and take appropriate actions against the responsible parties.

Acknowledging the importance of ongoing monitoring, Ling assured that authorities would maintain vigilance over Taman Matahari lake's water quality and oversee the sewage treatment plant's adherence to regulations. This proactive stance underscores the commitment to safeguarding environmental integrity and public health within the region.

As investigations unfold and remedial measures are implemented, stakeholders are urged to remain vigilant and proactive in preserving the ecological balance of Johor's water bodies and ecosystems. Such collaborative efforts are essential in ensuring sustainable environmental practices and mitigating the adverse impacts of pollution on biodiversity and community well-being.


Evon Anak Jerim is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!

The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.