LOCALS claim that illegal plastic and tyre recycling factories operating around Kg Teluk Gong in Port Klang are “protected” by an influential individual.

Residents in the area are reluctant to talk about the illegal factories when asked during a check by Bernama.

A resident who only wished to be known as Zambri, 41, a taxi driver, said there were about 50 licensed and unlicensed plastic and tyre recycling factories operating in the area over the years.

“They are protected by an influential individual, not only the residents are reluctant to get involved in the issue of illegal factories, the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) personnel also do not dare, while ‘abang-abang kawasan’ (thugs) have prevented and harassed the local authorities from carrying out monitoring,” said Zambri, a Port Klang native.

Some factories have the nerve to re-open despite being shut down, he said.

“At the beginning of the year, there was a massive operation carried out by the authorities but a week later, the factories were back in operation and we, the villagers here, are forced to risk our health as these factories regularly burn plastic and rubber in the open, in the afternoon and early morning,” he said.

Bernama’s checks found that chemical residues from plastic and tyre recycling activities were discharged into drains until the water turned black and smelly.

The drains are also connected to the water gate at a nearby fishing jetty.

Meanwhile, Port Klang assemblyman Azmizam Zaman Huri expressed his disappointment over the MPK’s lack of action on the issue.

Azmizam said many unlicensed factories slapped with legal action from MPK are operating as usual.

“For an example, an illegal plastic recycling plant in Sg Chandong, Bandar Armada Putra in Pulau Indah, is back in operation despite being subjected to legal action by MPK and it carries open burning activities which poses health risks to the surrounding population, also a factory in Teluk Gong, it is the same, despite action taken by MPK.

“In fact, my checks with Tenaga Nasional Berhad also found that MPK did not issue any letter for TNB to cut the electricity supply to those illegal plants.

“TNB is ready to work on this but it needs to be informed in writing by MPK itself,” he said, adding that it showed that MPK is not serious about the illegal factories.

MPK’s licensing and hawkers’ department head Azhar Samsudin said as of April, there were nine unlicensed plastic recycling plants ordered to cease operations immediately and to clean up used plastic piles that were in their possession.

“Also in the same period we have identified 41 unlicensed plastic recycling factories operating in Klang, these factories are being monitored and we will take action as soon as possible,” he said. – Bernama, May 29, 2019.