Umno man takes MPSP to task on illegal factories

PERMATANG PAUH: There are at least eight illegal factories in Seberang Perai, said Umno Permatang Pauh chief Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said.
He said these illegal premises were similar to the factory producing carbon filters at Sungai Lembu in Bukit Mertajam which was raided by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) team yesterday.
"We will expose the location of these factories, but in the meantime the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) must step up efforts to take action against these factories," he said during a press conference at Kampung Sungai Lembu here.
He also alleged that many sites allocated for agricultural purposes had been turned into industrial zones through MPSP, without going through the proper channels.
Also present during today's press conference were Parti Cinta Malaysia deputy president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan, who said the application by the operator of the carbon filter factory was rejected by MPSP's One Stop Centre on Nov 23, 2016.
"I would like to know what is the procedure of MPSP if any application to change the status of the land has been rejected and why no action has been taken against the operator of the factory," he said.
About 20 people, mostly members of Umno, had gathered at the site to protest the existence of such illegal factories.
Yesterday, officers from the MACC, Inland Revenue Board (IRB), Immigration Department and the Department of Environment (DOE) raided the factory located inside an oil palm estate near Kampung Sungai Lembu.
Nine Myanmar nationals including a woman believed to be a factory worker, along with a 70-year-old supervisor were detained in the operation dubbed Ops Carbon.
Several documents were also seized in the raid.
A separate MACC team also went to the Seberang Perai Municipal Council headquarters in Bandar Perda on the same day.