Don't Give Any Excuses, says PM

No Power to Act

The Department of Environment says they are powerless to act against operators of seven illegal toxic waste dumpsites in Johor.

"We cannot take action against those who bury scheduled toxic waste within their property," DOE director general Datuk Rosnani Ibarahim said today.

"There is nothing in our present legislation which empowers us to do so... we can only monitor.“

"We can only take action for illegal dumping... once it’s buried outside one’s property," she said.

Last week, the New Straits Times reported that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) was investigating the manner in which several DOE personnel were enforcing laws, and also looking into allegations that toxic waste was being smuggled into the country. These investigations could enable authorities to unravel the mystery behind the death of environment officer Rumie Azzan Mahlie in Kuching, Sarawak, on Sept 17 last year. He was alleged to have fallen to his death from the ninth floor of the State DOE office in Kuching. Rumie’s family believes he was killed because he stumbled onto information relating to the smuggling and disposal of toxic waste. It was standing-room-only at the 60-minute Press conference, where Sothinathan had to answer questions on the ACA investigation, Rumie’s death, and the circumstances of a lorry being released after it was seized in a raid on an illegal toxic waste storage facility in Perak on March 29.

Today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi retorted that Ministries and government departments have been told to amend laws and administrative procedures that hinder effective action. PM said weaknesses in the law should not be an excuse for not taking action, and that laws and regulations that impeded progress must be amended promptly.

“To say that no action can be taken because of the legislation is not right."

“There are many laws in our country. Some of them are no longer relevant to the present times. It's our duty and responsibility to see to it that any hindrance is removed,” the PM told reporters after opening the Malaysian Trust Fund Week at the Seremban Municipal Council hall here yesterday.