Advocates & Solicitors
Tuesday, 20 September 2022
With the government's move towards much higher fines on polluters of water sources, BFM spoke with Jia Yaw and Dr. K. Kalithasan.
On 19 September 2022, it was reported that the government is expected to table an amendment to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to significantly increase the fines on businesses convicted of polluting any water sources. Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, the director general of the Dept of Environment, was quoted as saying:
"Based on statistics, most of those who pollute are repeat offenders, and on that consideration, we have suggested a much higher fine."
"We want to make sure these companies repent and are deterred from dumping pollutants into the river. Among the reasons why they dump pollutants into the river is to save costs by avoiding regulation."
On 20 September 2022, BFM reached out to Jia Yaw (co-deputy chair, Bar Council Environment & Climate Change Committee) and Dr. K. Kalithasan (manager, RIVER Care Programme, Global Environment Centre) to discuss -
whether this increased fine would be effective, and what further mechanisms are needed to curb this issue; and
the importance of clean rivers for our daily lives.
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