ABOUT 2pm yesterday, two men were caught on video dumping pails of construction waste into the sea from a private car park on Jalan Farquhar, George Town.

It did not take long for the video, which has since gone viral, to reach the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the state government, which were incensed over the offence.

It then took even less time for the authorities to trace the culprits yesterday afternoon, after the council’s closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) caught the registration number of the men’s lorry.

The CCTV also caught the face of one of the men – the driver – when his car window was down as he paid the parking ticket before leaving the car park.

“We take this matter very seriously. Yesterday, the MBPP lodged a police report,” state local government exco Jagdeep Singh Deo told a press conference today.

He said what the two men did was unacceptable in a state that aims to be clean, green and safe and assured that strict action would follow.

“Dumping waste into the sea is an offence. We can take action under several laws, like the Environmental Quality Act, Local Government Act, and Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act.

“We urge the police to investigate this as soon as possible so those responsible will face justice. We also want this to serve as a lesson and warning to others.

“It is not that we do not have solid waste disposal sites available for construction waste to be properly discarded,” he said.

Jagdeep also reminded Penangites of the hundreds of CCTVs installed statewide to boost security and deter crime.

“By next month, we will have close to 1,100 CCTVs on the island and mainland,” he said.

He also urged the public to alert the authorities should they have information on illegal waste dumping, adding the police and Road Transport Department would also keep a look out for such offences.

Meanwhile, state environment exco Phee Boon Poh also pledged a full investigation, and said all parties related or had contributed to the “disgraceful act against civil society and the environment” would be prosecuted.

He said the authorities would visit and check all nearby sites with ongoing renovations.

It is learnt that the construction waste was from a nearby work site. – April 20, 2019.