Three may be charged over Sg Long illegal dumpsite

THE completed investigation papers on three individuals suspected to be linked to an illegal dumpsite at Sungai Long in Kajang, Selangor, have been submitted to the deputy public prosecutor’s (DPP) office for futher action.

When contacted, Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) director Nor Aziah Jaafar said the three suspects, aged between 35 and 45, were arrested in July last year.

They were investigated under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 that prohibits open burning.If convicted, an offender can be fined up to RM500,000 or jailed up to five years, or both.

The Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) also issued a notice to the landowners of the illegal dumpsite near Twin Palms, to rehabilitate the land, said councillor Siti Razimi A. Razak.

“We hope Kajang assemblyman David Cheong will raise this issue in the next state assembly sitting,” she said.

On Oct 30, StarMetro wrote about the matter in its report, “Fuming over stench from smoky dumpsite”.

It highlighted residents’ complaints about having to live with the side effects from the open burning at the 1.62ha land in Sungai Long for about three years.

Flashback to StarMetro’s report on Oct 30.

Some said they suffered from respiratory problems from breathing in harmful gases.

Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan had also asked Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad for updates in Parliament on Nov 6.

He also asked the minister to provide a timeline outlining the ministry’s short-, medium- and long-term solutions to the problem.

Nik Nazmi, in a written reply, said the Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Ministry, as it was known then, only had jurisdiction over open burning offences.

“Dumpsites, which are not under the jurisdiction of the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, are monitored by the Local Government Development Ministry and state governments,” he had said.

“According to the Collection, Discard and Disposal of Rubbish By-Law (MPKj) 2007, the local authority can only issue a compound of not more than RM1,000 to offenders.

“They have since drafted a policy to impose additional charges on perpetrators.

“For example, MPKj has previously charged a lorry up to RM5,500 for disposing of waste at an illegal dumpsite.”

Nik Nazmi added that the local authorities have introduced a “panel contractor” system to control the flow of construction waste.

“The panel contractors will prepare RoRo bins for the disposal of construction waste.

“Developers and property owners who want to carry out construction or renovation works must hire these contractors who will ensure construction waste is properly disposed of.”

Nik Nazmi cited land forfeiture as a long-term solution but acknowledged this would take time and incur high costs.

He had also acknowledged that there was a need for a comprehensive law that allowed action on illegal dumpsite operators.