THE cleaning of 1.5km of Sg Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, Johor, which began on Wednesday following the dumping of toxic chemical waste there, has been completed, said Yeo Bee Yin .

The energy, technology, science, climate change and environment minister said, however, that monitoring would continue to see if anything more needs to be done.

“The 1.5km-stretch of Sg Kim Kim that was polluted has already been cleaned up, but today we want to see what ‘touch-ups’ we can do.

“Today can be said to be a day of monitoring. Only after that can we can look into what further action is needed,” she told reporters at the state disaster management committee’s operations room  today.

Yeo said at the same time, 30 teams comprising Environment Department members and Chemistry Department personnel were deployed to 30 schools around the affected area today to monitor air quality using gas detectors.

She said all 30 schools were located three to nine kilometres from Sg Kim Kim.

“Before this, we had monitored the air quality in different places… and found the quality was at a safe level. But our coverage today will be extensive because the cleaning-up of the river has been completed,” she said, adding that the full report on the air quality will be made public tomorrow.

The illegal dumping of chemicals into the river last week affected the health of more than 1,000 people, mostly pupils of schools situated along Sg Kim Kim.

A total of 111 schools in the area have been ordered to be closed until further notice.

Maszlee in a statement said teachers and other staff in these schools need not come to work during the closure period and had said yesterday the schools will remain closed until further notice.

However, parents in Pasir Gudang want an assurance from Putrajaya that the Sg Kim Kim area is safe before sending their children back to school, even as the authorities say they are on the verge of completing clearing the toxic waste.

Many the Malaysian Insight spoke to want assurance from Putrajaya it is safe to return. – March 17, 2019.