JOHOR BAHRU: Discharges from sewage treatment plants are a significant contributor to the pollution of 25 out of 672 rivers across Malaysia, Environment Department (DOE) director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar stated. He noted that these polluted rivers are located in six states-Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Sarawak-and fall into water quality classes III and IV.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, additional pollution sources include livestock waste, industrial effluents, and sediment runoff from development projects during rainfall. These issues were discussed during a press conference after an interactive session with the media at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bukit Mutiara. Present at the session were Johor Education director Mohd Hanafi Samad, Johor DOE director Dr Mohd Famey Yusoff, and SK Bukit Mutiara headmistress Noor Huda Hamid.

Wan Abdul Latiff highlighted that the number of polluted rivers has decreased from 29 last year, a change attributed to ongoing collaborative effort
s by the DOE and various agencies. He emphasized that the DOE will continue to monitor river water quality nationwide and enforce regulations to address pollution sources.

Regarding amendments to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), Wan Abdul Latiff expressed confidence that these changes would help tackle environmental pollution issues. The amendments introduce stricter penalties, and the DOE is preparing an investigation report with expectations to begin prosecutions under this new act by the end of the year.

The Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill 2023, passed by the Dewan Rakyat on March 25, includes revisions to 28 sections of Act 127. The revisions raise penalties to a minimum fine of RM5,000, a maximum fine of RM10 million, and mandatory imprisonment of up to five years.