RIVERS must be protected as a matter of national security and allowed larger buffer zones to stop pollution, former National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman Charles Santiago said.

Referring to his earlier proposal for a National River Protection Authority, the Klang MP said buffer areas of 300 to 400m should be created along the river banks where no industrial and commercial activities are allowed.

“The government must look at enacting laws that create severe punishment for companies that breach the buffer zone. 

“Police and other enforcement authorities could be used to supervise the (buffer zone) with the help of CCTV and other technologies. 

“By doing so, the state can protect the rivers from being abused by errant companies with a variety of pollution – plastic, e-waste, chemical, toxic, sewage and rubbish, among others,” he said in a statement today.

It’s time the sources of the nation’s water are treated as a matter of “national security”, added the DAP lawmaker who headed SPAN from November 2018 to April.

Santiago was commenting on the spilling of factory waste into Sg Selangor earlier this week that resulted in the shutdown of four water treatment plants on Thursday and cut water supply to nearly two million account holders across the Klang Valley.

The culprit has been identified as Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd/AAY Construction Sdn Bhd, a company that services heavy machinery and which had allowed used oil and diesel to flow into the waterway.

The four brothers who own the factory are currently in police remand.

The authorities revealed that the factory is a repeat offender, having been fined RM60,000 in March for a pollution offence.

The state government has ordered the site closed and will issue an order for the company to vacate the land tomorrow.

Santiago yesterday said that fines were insufficient to deter polluters form repeating their offence, and urged the government to sue the company.

“Increasing fines on errant companies is not a deterrent because of corruption. 

“As such, the government must set-up the National River Protection Authority with immediate effect. 

“It’s time to think and act differently. We have had one too many water cuts since last year to impose a slap on the wrist punishment.”  – September 6, 2020.