Carbon filter factory to close down

PERMATANG PAUH: The owner of an illegal carbon filter factory at Sungai Lembu here will be closing down the facility.
Factory director Edmund Gan, 37, said the decision was made after a troubling week where he and his father were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
"We are not going to operate anymore, we just want to stop the smoke produced from the factory," he said at the site.
Gan and his 70-year-old father, a senior manager of the factory, were detained last week after several federal agencies led by the MACC, raided the factory.
Also detained was Penang Environment, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh.
All were released after the Penang High Court on Monday set aside their five-day remand order.
Gan denied claims the factory was polluting the air through their manufacturer of the components used in the carbon filters.
He said every batch produced and sold had to be tested to ensure the chemical and heavy metal content adhere to environmental regulations.
"The sawdust used in the process is obtained from chemical-free logs supplied by trusted companies," he said.
Gan said the factory had tried to comply with all the regulations required by the local authorities and did not expect a raid by the MACC.
"We made proper application through our consultant architect. It is not like we wish to continue illegally. Our application in 2016 to have the land gazetted is not approved yet," he said.