His Majesty the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has called on the government to immediately step up enforcement and control against all factories using toxic chemicals
In light of the recent chemical dumping incident in Pasir Gudang, Johor, His Majesty the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said that with the Sungai Kim Kim incident affecting so many residents, he felt there was an urgent need to build a government hospital close to the area.
“I believe Johor is among the largest contributors to the federal government’s income. Therefore, it is only appropriate and fair that more allocation for development is given to Johor, especially for the upgrade of healthcare facilities, public transport and highway networks,” said the Johor Sultan in his speech to mark his official birthday ceremony at the Dewan Singgahsana Istana Besar on 23rd of March 2019.
The speech was carried by the Royal Press Office (RPO) on the Sultan’s official Facebook and Instagram handles.
“I hear that this was already being planned by the government. Therefore, I hope the (hospital) construction will be carried out soon,” added His Majesty.
Sultan Ibrahim also expressed his sadness over the action of irresponsible parties which dumped chemical wastes into Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang.
He said they not only polluted the river and the environment, but also affected the lives and health of residents in the Pasir Gudang area.
In order to ensure that the incident never happens again, Sultan Ibrahim instructed the state government to quickly implement an integrated control and enforcement action against all factories which use hazardous chemicals.
“Any factory which fails to follow regulations on the management of safety and the environment must be closed down immediately.
“And in the long-term, I want the government to review all the industries that are operating in Pasir Gudang by closing or relocating industries related to gas and explosive chemicals that can endanger residents in the area,” he added.
