JOHOR Menteri Besar Osman Sapian is currently on a working visit to Batam, Indonesia as the state grapples with the toxic waste contamination incident at Sg Kim Kim, Pasir Gudang.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed surprise over the trip and said he did not know anything about it.

“He went. I don’t know about this,” he told reporters this morning at a function in Putrajaya.

A special officer to the menteri besar told The Malaysian Insight that the working visit was at the invitation of the Batam administration, which was made before the toxic pollution crisis on March 7.

The visit was also believed to have been approved by Johor state executive councilors.

“MB’s initial plan was to go to Batam yesterday (Friday) and return to Johor on Sunday, but due to the toxic waste pollution issue in Pasir Gudang, the visit was shortened.

“MB will return to Johor this afternoon,” he said on condition of anonymity.

A photo of Osman in Batam attending an official ceremony at the regional mayor’s office was uploaded to Facebook by YFBatam yesterday.

“The visit of YAB Datuk Osman Bin Haji Sapian, the Menteri Besar of Johor with the delegation to the Government of Batam City, explores cooperation in tourism, trade, education, etc.,” the caption accompanying the photo said.

Speculation then spread on social media that Osman was vacationing in Batam instead.

His office has yet to issue any official statement to address the speculation.

But state government sources said Osman’s schedule did not include golf time, as some social media users had claimed.

“It was in the earlier schedule, but the latest schedule has no golfing event,” a source said.

However, Osman apparently gave a statement to the blog, johorisme.net, which carried his denial that he was on vacation in Batam. He also confirmed shortening his visit due to the toxic waste crisis in Pasir Gudang.

“It’s very sad that some Facebook users believe in the allegations of defamation that I was going there for entertainment.

“While on the visit, I was thinking about the misfortune of the Pasir Gudang people. I have shortened my Batam to a one-day visit,” Osman was quoted saying in the blog.

Six days after the contamination was first reported, the Johor state government said it would allocate RM6.4 million for cleanup efforts.

The clean up of the toxic wastes at the river began at 2pm on Thursday, a week after it was discovered on March 7. – March 16, 2019.