Palm oil mill's licence suspended for causing river pollution

A palm oil mill has had its licence suspended for one month after it was found to have caused pollution at a river in Tongod, Kinabatangan, last week.

Environment and Water Deputy Minister Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad said a team from the Sabah Department of Environment (DOE) conducted investigations on the pollution at the river on April 8 and 9 after receiving a complaint from the Sabah Water Department on the issue which went viral on social media.

"The Sabah DOE’s investigating team conducted the investigation with help from the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) chairperson and Tongod Water Department staff.

"The investigation found effluents clogged up in the oil palm estate’s drainage system, just about 100 to 200m away from Sungai Malagatan," he said in a statement tonight.

Ahmad Masrizal said the clogged waste was located about two kilometres from the irrigation area of a palm oil mill suspected to be draining effluents into the stream, which led to the shutting down of the Tongod Water Treatment Plant (LRA) on April 8, subsequently affecting the water supply of consumers around Tongod.

According to him, the Sabah DOE has directed the factory’s operator to immediately initiate clean-up works along the stream and its drainage system, while an investigation paper has been opened against the operator for action to be taken in court.

- Bernama