PETALING JAYA: A total of 160 victims of the Sungai Kim Kim air pollution are seeking redress for their suffering by taking the government to court.
They comprise 33 students, 120 fishermen and seven others. Kamaruddin Ahmad, who is taking the lead in the civil suit, said the petition will be filed with the Johor Baru High Court on July 17.
The Johor state government, the Mentri Besar, State Executive Council, the Department of Environment, Pasir Gudang Municipal Council, and two directors of Ptech Resources Sdn Bhd will be named as defendants.
Among the plaintiffs is Irfan Wafiy Idham Wazir, whose father Idham Wazir A. Wahab, barged into a closed-door session between the ministry and factory owners last week to berate the officials for, what he claimed, a failure to make any progress since the episode in Sungai Kim Kim in March sent thousands to the hospital.
On March 7, a total of 105 students and residents living near Sungai Kim Kim were admitted to the hospital after breathing in what was believed to be poisonous gas.
Preliminary investigations showed that the cause of the air pollution was the result of chemical wastes being dumped into Sungai Kim Kim.
A second wave of the pollution swept through the community on March 11. A total of 106 victims had to be warded, including eight in the intensive care unit.
Over the next few days, thousands others had to seek treatment at the hospital.
Investigations showed that the chemical reaction from the discarded wastes produce several poisonous gases, including acrylonitrile, xylene, methane, and toluene which cause headaches, nausea, loss of consciousness and breathing difficulties. The pollutant can be absorbed into the human body through the respiratory channel and the skin.
On June 24, a total of 75 students in Pasir Gudang were sent to the hospital for breathing difficulties and vomiting.
As a result, students from 15 schools in the area had their lessons disrupted.
Irfan Wafiy, 12, who was among the victims in the Sungai Kim Kim pollution, now suffers from myokymia, a condition that causes several parts of his body to tremble. The Parkinson’s-like condition is believed to have been caused by the pollutants.
In an immediate response to the news of the suit, Idham expressed relief that his son “finally has legal representation”.
“This is the first after the incident,” he told theSun.
Idham said he had to quit his job as an engineer to take Irfan to school every day. “I have also engaged a tuition teacher to help him in four subjects while he prepares for the upcoming Primary School Evaluation Test (UPSR) in September,” he said.
“The tuition teacher comes to our house. It costs me RM140 per subject,” he added.
However, Idham’s spirit is lifted by the determination he sees in Irfan. “It is interesting to see how he is fighting to prepare for the UPSR in spite of his condition.”
He described Irfan as a bright student. “He is also a prefect. He got an ‘A’ for English but a ‘C’ for Malay,” he said.
“Irfan is my hope. He wanted to be a doctor, but now, due to his condition, he wants to be a neurologist,“ he added.
The episode also took a heavy emotional toll on the family. Apart from sending Irfan to school every day, he also has to drive him to Kuala Lumpur for his treatment.
This has left his wife, Norlela Abu Hashim, a 24-hour laundrette owner, as the sole breadwinner of the family.
