PUTRAJAYA’S assurance that the situation in Sg Kim Kim in Johor is under control rings hollow for Mohamed Syahmi, especially after his pregnant wife had to be rushed to the Pasir Gudang Stadium for treatment yesterday.

The 28-year-old said his wife had chest pains and nausea while at work.

“She is slightly more than two months pregnant. This is our first child and I’m worried for their safety,” Mohamed told The Malaysian Insight outside the treatment centre in Pasir Gudang.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the worst is not over as fumes from the toxic waste dumped into the river are still hazardous, but assured the public that the situation is under control.

Mohamed said employers within the affected zone are still expecting their staff to come to work during this crisis, adding that declaring a state of emergency would emphasise the seriousness of the situation.

“The government should intervene and ask the factories to close temporarily until the situation improves,” he said.

Pasir Gudang People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel Malik Yusof, 55, said more than 200 people have received treatment for toxic poisoning at the new the treatment centre at the stadium since 8am yesterday.

“People kept coming in. More than 30 people who are critical were transferred to Hospital Sultan Ismail,” he said.

Malik also said the treatment centre which was located at the Pasir Putih multipurpose hall since the outbreak on March 7 was moved to the stadium because the original site was declared a red zone.

He said the people who came for treatment were from nearby residential areas such as Taman Pasir Putih, Taman Mawar, Sri Alam and other areas.

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

The chemicals emitted toxic fumes which caused respiratory problems.

Kota Masai resident Abdul Gahapur Mohd Nor, 33, said he came to the centre because his two children were coughing and his wife was vomiting.

“My child was coughing since last week but it was not serious. But, yesterday it got worse.

“The children were checked by the doctor and were prescribed cough medicine and antibiotics,” he said.

He said doctors have also advised them not to leave their homes, adding that many of his neighbours have left the area out of fear for their families’ health.

Gahapur believed that if the government declares a state of emergency, more federal resources could be channelled towards the cleanup efforts.

Housewife Norhafizah Mohd Nor, 35, told The Malaysian Insight she had to move into her mother’s house as her home was at Taman Air Biru, which is located 4km from Sg Kim Kim.

“I’m staying at my mother’s house with my two children. I brought my two children here because their cough got worse,” she said.

“We are living in the red zone that’s why the children are affected.”

No fuss

However, for some living near the affected area, an emergency order would also mean a halt to business and work.

Sundry shop owner Abdul Halim Jaafar, who lives in Taman Pasir Putih, said while the situation was alarming, he believed that it had not reached emergency levels as there have yet to be any deaths.

“I don’t think we need to declare emergency. We don’t see people dying, bodies piling up.

“What we see is there are still many people who are continuing life as usual,” said the 60-year-old from his shop which was located some 200m from Sg Kim Kim.

He admitted that he knew of several families who had temporarily moved out of the area, especially those with young children.

“Those who left are those with babies, and are not working. They can ‘balik kampung’.

“But those who work here, it’s hard to leave. How are we going to make a living.”

Hairil Abu, who lives a mere 100m from Sg Kim Kim was nonchalant about the crisis, saying that a state of emergency was not necessary as contamination and pollution of the river were fairly common when he was growing up.

“This isn’t new, I was raised here,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“In the past when these things happened, we will report it to the authorities and they will take action. Then it happens again.

“What happened this time was they took too long to take action, that’s why it’s so bad. So this has happened before, just not as bad.

“An emergency is only when many have died. If it’s still controllable, then just quickly take action and deal with it.” – March 16, 2019.