Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Selective Prosecution?

I have seen about any kind of pollution by factories all over Malaysia when I travelled. I guess you would too. If a layman like me can see such discharging of pollution, I am sure the authorities would have seen them too. Cases of pollution were brought up to the court just to have some scapegoats once in a while. What is a fine of RM15k or RM10k to a factory making huge profit? Will there be any mitigation to stop the pollution? What mitigation does the factory submitted to the court? I believe there is none. Just look at the air pollution by a smelting tin company in Penang. Photo taken on 19 Dec 2009 at 11.46am. You can even see this when you are traveling on the ferry. Any action?




Wednesday February 3, 2010
Oil palm companies fined for water pollution
Star
By MOHD FARHAAN SHAH

BATU PAHAT: Two oil palm companies were fined a total of RM25,000 by a Sessions Court here for pollution by discharging waste matter into the river above the allowed limit.

The PPNJ oil palm factory in Batu 17, Mukim Kahang committed the offence on Feb 19, 2008 by releasing waste that contained biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids.

The factory was fined RM15,000 or six months’ jail for the offence.

In the same court, a Felda-owned oil palm factory in Kahang Timur was also charged with releasing waste that contained BOD on Oct 14, 2008.

Sessions Court judge Mohamad Haldar Abd Aziz fined the factory RM10,000 or six months’ jail for the offence.

Both factories were charged under Section 16 (1) of the Environment Quality Act 1974 and Section 16 (2) of the same Act.

Deputy public prosecutor Noor Mohd Emran Amir prosecuted the case, while both factories were not represented.

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