GEORGE TOWN: Penang will push for stricter legislation to address the illegal dumping of chemical and industrial wastes.
The move is in response to a significant increase in the number of such cases on the mainland as well as the island. A total of 12 cases have already been detected this year, compared with eight in the five years from 2014.
State executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo singled out private hauliers as the main culprits. “They tend to take shortcuts by emptying the wastes at isolated spots or into the sea,” he said.
Under current legislation, the maximum fine for illegal dumping of wastes is only RM2,000. “This is just a slap on the wrist,” Jagdeep said.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman had earlier said that with the risk of climate change on the horizon, stricter penalties are essential to reflect the current conditions in Penang.
