Singaporean among 3 charged in Pasir Gudang toxic waste incident, Latest World News - The New Paper
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Singaporean among 3 charged in Pasir Gudang toxic waste incident

This article is more than 12 months old

JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean and two Malaysians were charged in the Sessions Court yesterday with being involved in dumping chemicals into Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang.

Two directors of a used tyre-processing company - Singaporean Wang Jin Chao, 34, and Malaysian Yap Yoke Liang, 36, - and a Malaysian lorry driver N. Maridass, 35, pleaded not guilty.

According to the charge sheet, lorry driver Maridass, was accused of illegally disposing of chemicals into Sungai Kim Kim on March 7.

Wang and Yap are accused of conspiring with him.

All three were charged under the Environment Quality Act.

Meanwhile, Johor police chief Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd was quoted yesterday as saying the police are hunting another Singaporean suspect in his 30s.

Mr Mohd Khalil said state police would be working with their Singapore counterparts to track down the man, the New Straits Times newspaper quoted him as saying.

The missing suspect, a businessman, was believed to be one of the owners of a factory involved in dumping toxic waste into the river, he said.

The Malaysian authorities had said last week that the cleanup of the 1.5km polluted stretch of the river was complete, with 1,250 tonnes of soil, water and sludge removed.

The government shut 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang area to prevent more students from falling sick after inhaling fumes from the chemicals.

Many residents who live around the river fled at the height of concerns over toxic gases wafting into their homes.

Singapore authorities closely monitored the chemical spill and issued regular press releases to inform the public the Republic has not been affected by the incident. - THE STAR, THE STRAITS TIMES

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