Gov't to create special committee over Pasir Gudang pollution issues

A special committee to coordinate the parties involved on the pollution issues in Pasir Gudang, Johor will be set up, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin (photo, above).

She said the establishment of the committee was brought up by Johor Menteri Besar Dr Sahruddin Jamal in their discussion yesterday and it would be officially announced by the Johor state government.

"The committee will coordinate all parties involved such as the Department of Environment, Health Department, local authorities and the Land Office as they can seize back all the land of premises the owners had rented.

“The special committee will sit for six months to ensure the incidents of pollution do not recur,” she told reporters after attending an Aidilfitri Open House of the National Community Policy Movers NGO coalition at the Bera Rakan Muda Complex here today.

Zuraida also gave her assurance to put forward the allegation of a father that his son contracted myokymia due to the toxic pollution of Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang to other parties involved including the Health Ministry and the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.

The father’s allegations went viral on social sites since yesterday in which he claimed his 12-year-old son could not stand on his own and was seen shivering, apart from seeking treatment at Kuala Lumpur Hospital and he intends to sue the authorities on the matter.

In another development, Zuraida said KPKT hoped more NGOs would be joining the Community Policy Movers to achieve its target in all Parliamentary constituencies by 2020.

She said, so far 70 NGOs have joined the movement with four of them from Pahang.

"We hope they would be the spokesmen to explain government policies to the people so that the community would not be easily influenced by fake news,” she said.

- Bernama