Hundreds of factories along Sungai Semenyih under the microscope

The Star, Thursday, 6 October 2016 | MYT 6:41 PM

BY JADE CHAN

Used engine oil, containers of sodium sulphate and a few types of other chemicals are among the items found at the illegal factory

Enforcement officers from three agencies have started a joint operations to check on some 120 factories operating along Sungai Semenyih.

This follows the closure and sealing off the illegal factory that was identified as the culprit behind the water disruptions in the Klang Valley.

It was jointly conducted by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj), Hulu Langat Land Office and Department of Environment (DOE).

According to MPKj, during today's (Oct 6) operations, MPKj confiscated goods and sealed off the premises of another factory found to be operating illegally.

The team inspected eight premises, four of which had their licences revoked for flouting trade licensing, waste disposal and town planning bylaws.

MPKj added that the land the factory was located on was designated as agriculture, so non-related activities without proper application were considered illegal.

“The operator had been operating without a licence and was found guilty of flouting the Trade Licensing, Business and Industry (MPKj) 2007 Bylaw,” said Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman.

“We issued a notice for the operator to stop all their activities and for them to submit a report on their effluent disposal method within three days.

“Failure to do so would result in a fine of not more than RM500 or jail of not more than six months, or both.”

It was reported that the illegal factory located along Jalan Sungai Lalang, which had been masking as a building materials operations, was in fact recycling engine oil and repackaging them to be sold.

During a visit by The Star yesterday (Oct 6), workers from Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd were seen cleaning up the site while officers from Selangor Waters Management Authority (LUAS) were coordinating the clean-up and enforcement works there.

“We started cleaning and disposal works on Tuesday. Because of the large amount of waste stacked around the site and in the soil, we will need about a week to clear everything,’ said Kualiti Alam Scheduled Waste Action Team consultant Datuk A. Mariasoosay.

“Items found included used engine oil, containers of sodium sulphate and a few types of other chemicals.”

As of yesterday (Oct 6) afternoon, the company’s 20-tonne trucks made 16 trips to dispose the  hazardous waste at its waste management centre.

Meanwhile, Air Selangor Group said that the scheduled recovery plan of water supply to consumers is progressing well, following the closure of the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant due to raw water odour pollution.

“The plan put into effect since Wednesday (Oct 5) is an effective measure to ensure that consumers do not experience water supply interruption for extended periods,” said said Air Selangor Group corporate communications head Amin Lin Abdullah. 

“It is only a temporary measure until water supply is fully restored in affected areas,” 

“The plan is also being monitored by the National Water Services Commission to ensure the inconvenience to consumers in affected areas is resolved as soon as possible.”

The schedule is being reviewed and updated until water supply is restored in Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat, Sepang and Petaling Districts.

The plan, which takes place until Oct 11, will have affected areas divided into two zones. 

Water will be supplied to zones that are scheduled to receive water supply at 4pm, then disconnected two days later at 9am.

For updates on the water supply restoration status and distribution schedule, visit www.syabas.com.my or download the “mySyabas” app.

Water cuts affecting food hawkers

The Star, Wednesday March 5, 2014 

by christina tan

Slow moving: Arif selling ready packed food, canned drinks and coconut juice at his Kajang stall.

KAJANG: Despite more people arriving here for the Mar 23 by-election, traders selling food and drinks are not making money because of the water shortage.

One of them, Arif Wahab, lamented that the water rationing was forcing him to close his kitchen earlier.

“Since I don’t have running water anymore, I can’t sell anything that needs cooking. I can only sell coconut water, cincau and canned drinks. My profit has dropped by almost 70% since two weeks ago because of the water disruption,” said the 56-year-old trader.

Arif, who sold fried noodles, kueh and other food items behind a charted taxi stand, said although there were many outsiders, he could not take advantage of their arrivals due to the water shortage.

“We appeal to the authorities to act quickly to help us resolve this water problem. How long can small businesses survive without running water,” he said yesterday.

Hawker Ah Meng, who sells coconut and sugar cane juice at Jalan Sulaiman, said his sales had also dropped since he recently increased the price of his drinks.

“I have no choice but to increase the price as the coconut and sugar cane are costing more now. Many of my customers complain and they buy less now,” he said.

Ah Meng said while many would think that the hot weather will help businesses like his, it was actually the opposite.

“When the weather is too hot, people will not come out of the house. I do more business when the weather is average,” he said, adding that the additional crowd in town has not contributed to a better business for him.

Chinese medicine shop assistant Low Mei Yong, however, said the hot weather had helped her business as more people came to the shop to buy herbal tea such as chrysanthemum tea, lo han quo (a kind fruit that is boiled into cooling drinks) and other herbs.

She said they were not preparing or expecting more sales due to the by-election as most of their customers were regulars.

The Star, Saturday July 28, 2012

Water relief for residents

The Selangor State Government will be delivering water to areas facing water supply disruptions in Seri Kembangan and Balakong.

The first tanker made its way to Taman Bukit Belimbing in Balakong on Thursday and residents queued up to collect the water.

Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah said the costs would be shared by the state government and the local councils involved, which are the Subang Jaya Municipal Council and Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj).

“The rental of the tanker with a capacity of 22,000l is RM1,500 per trip, while the water is taken for free from the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant in Putrajaya.

“The plant is operated by Konsortium Abass Sdn Bhd,” he said.

Collection point: Residents queueing up to collect water from the tanker in Taman Bukit Belimbing.

 

Among the areas affected include Taman Bukit Belimbing, Taman Seri Belimbing, Taman Sungai Besi Indah, Taman Puncak Utama, Taman Putra Budiman and Taman Juara Jaya.

Ean Yong said the local councils would draw up a distribution schedule.

“We will continue this effort until the water supply returns to normal,” he said.

Taman Bukit Belimbing resident Lim Sai Huwe, 45, said the water supply in her neighbourhood had been disrupted for four days in a row.

Her family had to shower and wash their clothes at her sister’s place in Seri Petaling.

“This is my first time experiencing such a problem since moving in four or five years ago,” the housewife said.

Taman Juara Jaya Residents Association chairman Chin Wai Hong said the neighbourhood had been facing problems with its water supply for about two months.

“Some residents resorted to taking water from their factories and then pumping it into the tanks in their houses,” he said.

He added that water pressure in his area used to be so strong that the pipes burst several years ago.

Zulkipli Abu Bakar, 53, said the water supply was inconsistent, causing inconveniences to the Muslim residents.

“The water supply stopped at 4pm until the next morning. We could not cook or wash.

“This shouldn’t happen during the fasting month,” the Taman Bukit Belimbing Residents Association secretary said.

Another Taman Bukit Belimbing resident S. Selvan, 55, said Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) did send its water tankers to the area, but they should come after working hours when most residents are at home.

“They came in the afternoon and did not alert the residents,” he said.

Residents residing within the Kajang municipality and facing problem in water supply can contact MPKj at 1800-88-6755.

The public can also contact the state hotline at 1800-88-2824 for complaints on garbage collection and water supply disruption.

This is the level of our politicians, blame the other side. As far as I am concerned, none of them actually tried to resolve the issue. Do you think any of them will suffer from the rationing?

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

Be pragmatic over water issue, DPM tells Selangor

JOHOR BARU: The Federal Government hopes that the Selangor Government will be practical and pragmatic in resolving the state’s water issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Selangor Government should not turn the crisis into a political issue.

“This is not a concern for Selangor and the Federal Territory only, but involves a large section of the population and consumers besides the industrial and commercial sectors.

“Don’t turn the problem into a political issue or make nonsensical threats,” he said when commenting on the statement by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibra­­him, who reportedly gave an ultimatum to the Federal Government as a condition to continue the Sungai Langat Water Treatment Plant 2 (Langat 2).

In MIRI, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said water rationing might be necessary in the Klang Valley.

“The demand is very high but the capacity to produce water has not improved.

“Water rationing may have to be imposed where the treatment plants do not have enough capacity,” he said.

In PUCHONG, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the people should not be punished over the incompetence of the Pakatan Rakyat state government in solving crisis.

He added that the state should go back to the water concessionaire and the Federal Government to resolve the issue.

“In order to cut losses from non-revenue water by just 10% and increase water production to 500 million litres a day (MLD), it is estimated that it would cost RM6bil to RM7bil.

“On the other hand, it will just cost RM8.9bil to construct the Langat 2 treatment plant and it can produce 1,130 MLD.

“Which do you think is more feasible?” he said in response to the Selangor Governm­ent’s stance over the Langat 2 plant.

In KLANG, Selangor Barisan Nas­ional co­ordi­­­nator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohammed urged the Selangor Government not to “play games” and take action to resolve the issue.

He said the state government should lift the freeze on the capital expenditure (capex) against all water concessionaires so that upgrading works could be carried out.

Selangor Plantation Workers, Poverty and Compassionate Govern­ment Committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said there was more than enough raw water in the state and it was just a matter of treating the water.

This is ridiculous. We live in a country with heavy rainfall and yet, due to our stupid politician, the people have to have water ration. This is utter madness and such a shame. It reflects are level of problem solving. Don't you think so?

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Sunday July 15, 2012

Syabas wants to start water rationing

PETALING JAYA: Water concessionaire Syabas will seek permission to start rationing immediately in Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because of the worsening water supply shortage.

Syabas chief executive officer Datuk Ruslan Hassan said Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were now facing a water crisis with reserve levels at 34 treatment plants down to an average of 2% way below the “safe mark” of at least 20%.

The company asking for rationing approval from the National Water Services Commission listed 112 areas in Klang, Petaling, Hulu Langat and Kuala Lumpur as the worst hit by intermittent disruptions since April, affecting 209,678 premises and some one million residents.

“We can no longer supply adequate water to Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because we do not have the needed reserves,” Ruslan said, adding that the situation could worsen because of the dry spell.

He was speaking to reporters during the distribution of water to residents of Taman Sungai Besi Indah in Seri Kembangan, one of the areas in Selangor hit by supply disruption.

The housing estate and its surrounding areas have been without water since Friday evening.

Ruslan said the company was preparing a list of neighbourhoods that would be affected by the rationing, with supply to be cut off either for several hours daily or on alternate days.

He said Syabas had received thousands of telephone calls from angry residents complaining of supply disruptions.

The company's 42 water tankers, 6,700 static water tanks and 3,000 employees could only cope with a disruption affecting a maximum of 250,000 premises at any one time, he added.

“If the situation worsens, up to 7.1 million residents in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor will be affected. This will be beyond our ability to handle on our own,” Ruslan said.

On the unwillingness of the Selangor Government to agree to the federal proposal for a Langat 2 treatment plant and a Pahang-Selangor transfer of raw water, Ruslan urged the two sides to negotiate.

“We ask the state and federal governments to settle whatever differences they have to resolve this issue to ensure adequate water supply,” he said.

Ruslan said the Federal Government had approved about RM650mil worth of mitigation projects to cope with demand while waiting for the Langat 2 project impasse to be resolved.

These include the Sungai Labu water treatment project to meet the needs of Sepang and Nilai and Phase 3 of the Sungai Selangor water scheme to serve southern Selangor.

Ruslan said all the projects were scheduled to be completed by 2015.