RESULTS of oil samples taken from four ships docked at Kuala Linggi, following an oil spill incident that polluted Pantai Cermin, Batu 10, Port Dickson will only be known in about two months’ time. 

State Department of Environment (DOE) director, Norlin Jaafar said the DOE had taken 12 oil samples and sent them to the Chemistry Department for analysis and further investigation. The samples were procured with the cooperation of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Malaysian Marine Department. 

“The oil spill, detected on October 12, polluted 2km of the coastal area, from Pantai Cermin to the Tg Tuan mangrove forest in Malacca,” she said, adding that until today, an estimated 80% of the clean-up work had been completed.

The clean-up operation is affected by various factors including weather and tides, the affected physical area, the magnitude and oil spill residue that remained in the sea.

“Oil dumping at sea is hard to detect because by the time it takes for the oil to reach the beach or for it to be detected by enforcement agencies, the perpetrators would have fled or covered up their act,” she said.

Norlin said while the DOE would continue to work with other marine enforcement agencies to step up enforcement and patrols in Malaysian waters, port operators, contractors and shipping companies needed to increase monitoring in their respective areas.

“That is why it is vital for the public with any information about an oil spill to report it immediately to the authorities so that action can be taken to manage it before the oil reaches the beach,” she said.

It was reported earlier this week that a 2km stretch of Pantai Cermin had been polluted by an oil spill. – Bernama, October 18, 2020.