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Signs of sabotage found in Sungai Selangor pollution: Minister

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PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar said the police have found elements of sabotage in the contamination of Sungai Selangor, which has caused major water disruptions in the Klang Valley.

"I was informed that the police have identified elements of sabotage," he said in a tweet yesterday.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said a fuel tank cover on a sand dredging pontoon was found to have been pulled open, resulting in fuel flowing into the river.

Mr Amirudin said the incident was detected about 6km from the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 water treatment plant on Sunday evening.

"The pontoon has been at the location since 2013 but had not been operational the past two months," Mr Amirudin said yesterday.

Mr Jayakumar said it was a crime under the Water Services Industry Act to cause water to be contaminated.

The Sungai Selangor Phases 1, 2 and 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants were shut down on Sunday night following the detection of diesel pollutant in Sungai Selangor.

This comes two days after the odour forced more than a million consumers to experience abrupt water cuts.

Selangor's sand mining concessionaire Kumpulan Semesta had said it detected diesel spillage in the river near the Hang Tuah pond at about 6.15pm on Sunday.

It said in a statement that it was investigating the possibility of sabotage. - THE STAR

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