Johor DOE and Fisheries Department investigate Sungai Sayong pollution after water turns murky, with residents reporting no fish deaths so far
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Department of Environment and the state Fisheries Department are investigating pollution in Sungai Sayong after the river turned murky and blackish.
Panti assemblyman Hahasrin Hashim said he received complaints from residents of Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang and immediately requested the departments to identify the pollution source and its impact.
“River pollution is not a small matter. It directly affects the lives of residents, inland fishermen, the river ecosystem, and environmental sustainability,” he said in a statement.
He added that the DOE team confirmed the river water appeared dark during an inspection at the village jetty.
A resident representative who filed the complaint was interviewed to gather further information.
The discolouration was noticed around 10 am, but checks found no evidence of fish mortality in the river or in residents’ cages.
The complainant believed the water flow originated from the direction of an oil palm mill, prompting DOE water quality tests at the location.
However, an investigation revealed no effluent discharge from the KKSPenggeli mill.
Surface runoff from an Empty Fruit Bunch area was found channelled into a well before entering a facultative pond.
Drone surveillance and drain inspections also found no signs of overflow or effluent leaks.
Preliminary findings show no evidence linking the mill to the Sungai Sayong pollution.
Investigations will continue further upstream to identify the actual source.
Hahasrin expressed appreciation for the vigilant residents and the departments’ swift response.
He added that he would continue to monitor the situation to ensure environmental sustainability and residents’ well-being.
In October last year, three villages were affected by river pollution after a sand-washing pond burst in Ulu Sungai Johor.
That incident severely disrupted fishing activities and caused water supply interruptions across several Johor districts.