Malaysia cordons off contaminated area<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian authorities cordoned off an area
\naround a northern island resort where 41 drums of lethal
\npotassium cyanide had been illegally dumped, but said yesterday
\nthat contamination had been contained.<\/p>\n
Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding briefed the cabinet on the
\nsituation off the island of Pangkor at a weekly meeting, saying
\nthere was no cause for panic as the lethal waste was discovered
\nearly and \"the situation was under control.\"<\/p>\n
\"The cabinet was briefed today on the whole situation,\"
\nLawrence Sii, Law's spokesman, told AFP.<\/p>\n
Law said Tuesday that the \"incident is not serious enough to
\ndeclare the whole Pangkor island off limits. This is because it
\nwas detected early and the damage is in a restricted area, now
\nunder close 24-hour surveillance.\"<\/p>\n
\"We will prosecute the culprits when we gather sufficient
\nevidence,\" Law said.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists yesterday demanded that those responsible
\nfor the dumping of the highly toxic waste be charged with
\nattempted murder.<\/p>\n
\"The investigation carried out should be criminal in nature as
\nthe offense is not just one of environmental pollution,\" said a
\nspokesman for a consumers movement in northern Penang state.<\/p>\n
The 50-kilogram drums of cyanide were said to be enough to
\nwipe out half of Malaysia's population of 18 million. They were
\nfound dumped near Pangkor this weekend by environmental officials
\nafter a nearby fish breeder reported that thousands of his fish
\nhad mysteriously died.<\/p>\n
Sale of fish in the island was still banned yesterday pending
\nthe results of chemical analysis of the toxic seepage. The probe
\nis being coordinated by an inter-governmental body.<\/p>\n
In an intensified hunt for the culprits, police have arrested
\na second man to assist in attempts to trace the origin of the
\ncyanide.<\/p>\n
The rusting, dented drums have been repacked and transferred
\nto higher ground to prevent possible further leaks.<\/p>\n
Top officials said the dumping had highlighted the need to
\nspeed up construction of a 353-million-ringgit (US$141.2 million)
\ncentral toxic treatment plant in southwestern Negri Sembilan
\nstate.<\/p>\n
This was the second time in recent years that Perak had been
\nmade the dumping ground of highly toxic waste. In 1989, more than
\n1,500 tons of toxic waste was dumped off the beaches of Pantai
\nRemis by a Singaporean company.<\/p>\n
Officials said current provisions in Malaysia's environmental
\nlaws were inadequate, as convicted violators could only be fined
\nup to 10,000 ringgit ($4,000), jailed for two years or both.<\/p>\n
\"The laws are now being reviewed to provide for harsher
\npenalties,\" an environmental official said without elaborating.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-cordons-off-contaminated-area-1447893297",
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