THE owner of an illegal tyre recycling factory is to be charged with dumping chemical waste into a river in Pasir Gudang, which poisoned scores of people.

The Star quoted Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin as saying that the individual is expected to be charged in Johor today.

The individual faces a maximum five year jail sentence and RM500,000 if found guilty of the offence under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act, she said.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that Yeo had been in contact with Attorney-General Tommy Thomas on the possibility of bringing multiple charges against the suspect due to the serious nature of the offence and inadequacy of the penalty.

Almost 500 people, many of them students, were hospitalised after inhaling the toxic fumes emanating from the waste.

“As the Environment Department has completed the investigation, we will go ahead and prosecute, but it is not limited to this (environmental) law. The person can be charged under the Penal Code and possibly other laws too,” she was reported to have said. – March 14, 2019.