PUTRAJAYA: An elite environmental crime prevention unit comprising personnel from several government agencies is set to come down hard on polluters.
The unit is expected to be operational from October onwards said Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
He said members of the elite unit would comprise personnel from the Department of Environment, National Water Services Commission (Span), Biosafety Department and the police.
"The ministry views the issue of pollution seriously. This needs to be addressed in a holistic and proactive approach.
"This was following the rampant pollution cases in Malaysia, with the latest incident at Sungai Gong, Selangor, has left a huge impact on the nation's environment sustainability, country's economy, as well as the health and wellbeing of the people," he said in a press conference at his ministry on the formation of the unit, here today.
While the respective agencies have been carrying out monitoring and enforcement of existing laws, they were faced with limitations, he said.
Thus, he said, the ministry needed support in terms of logistics, forensic and intelligence expertise; enforcement as well as enhancement on relevant laws and scope of enforcement.