Media statement by Steven Sim, MP for Bukit Mertajam
16 AUGUST 2017 | GEORGE TOWN, PENANG
It is totally a lie to say that no action was taken on the screw-coating factory issue in Bukit Minyak.
Government agencies and representatives from all three levels of government – local, state and federal authorities – all had taken various actions on this issue over a period of more than year.
Actions taken by the authorities included, imposing operation time limit, confiscation (menyita) and the sealing of machineries for 11 days (Notis Penahanan Kelengkapan) under Section 38 Environmental Quality Act, investigating emission from adjacent factories, as well as conducting laboratory test on the gas emission of the said factory.
It is also a lie to say that I have not been there as my team and I have visited the site on numerous occasions.
Government officials from various departments also conducted many site visits.
Letter from Department of Environment (DOE) dated 4 February 2016 confirmed that the said factory complied with regulations of DOE.
I wrote a letter to DOE to ask for a report on the environmental issue and DOE in their reply to me dated dated 10 May 2016 confirmed that emission of gas complied with the law.
“Kerja-kerja pengukuran bagi pelepasan gas di cerobong telahpun dilakukan oleh makmal bertauliah pada 11 Mac 2016 jam 10.30am hingga 11.30am (cerobong no.1 & cerobong no. 2) dan 22 Mac 2016 jam 3.45pm hingga 4.15pm (cerobong no. 3). Hasil analisis mendapati bacaan bagi parameter Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound (NM-VOC) sebanyak 5.0382 mg/Nm3 bagi cerobong no. 1, 1.0370 mg/Nm3 bagi cerobong no. 2 dan 5.7252 mg/Nm3 bagi cerobong no. 3. Standard pelepasan NMVOC berdasarkan di bawah Peraturan 13, Peraturan Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Udara Bersih) 2014 iaitu 150 mg/Nm3. Ini bermakna pelepasan gas tersebut mematuhi standard yang ditetapkan.”
A letter from Public Complaint Bureau dated 26 April 2016, also confirmed that the said factory complied with the law.
As such there was no basis to take further action on the factory.
However, I have proposed to the complainant that if he is not satisfied with the decisions and test reports, he can engage an independent consultant to produce a third party report. State assemblyman Sdr. Lee Khai Loon and I have offered to contribute to the cost.
Till today, he has not taken up the offer nor sent us any lab report on this matter.
Steven Sim Chee Keong
MP for Bukit Mertajam