RM1m fine, mandatory jail time: Selangor to toughen water pollution law, empower enforcers to snare culprits quickly
KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 – The Selangor government said it plans to strengthen the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) Enactment to impose stricter penalties on environmental polluters, including fines of up to RM1 million and mandatory jail terms of up to three years.
New Straits Times cited Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari saying the move includes empowering state enforcement officers with broader investigation and prosecution authority to address pollution incidents more effectively.
'Sometimes we detect pollution, but cannot trace the source because it has already stopped – the culprit may have been 'responsible' enough to shut it down.
'So, while we manage to contain the issue, unfortunately, we are unable to catch or prosecute the offender,' he told reporters yesterday.
He gave the example of odour pollution, which takes between 18 and 24 hours to reach the Selangor dam.
'If something happens in Batang Kali, it takes about 15 to 16 hours to get here, and the evidence is gone by then. That is one of the challenges we face,' he added.
Amirudin noted that few polluters have been prosecuted under the Luas Enactment, as the cases fall under the purview of the Attorney-General's Chambers — which can choose to also prosecute under the Environmental Quality Act.
He also announced the development of a comprehensive water master plan to manage Selangor's water supply more effectively to tackle issues related to both drought and excessive rainfall.
It is expected to be completed within a year and will address components such as water storage facilities, retention pond locations, and flood control measures.
According to Amirudin, over 100 ponds have been identified across Selangor to support these efforts.
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