KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities are identifying those responsible for the latest pollution in Pasir Gudang, Johor, which saw students hospitalised after inhaling toxic air, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"It is rather unfortunate. It's not supposed (to recur) after the first incident (in March).
"It seems that there are (factories) that have neglected the (environmental) safety.
"That is why we need to identify the ones who caused the pollution and take strict action on them," he told reporters after delivering the keynote speech at the 33rd Asia-Pacific roundtable title ‘New Malaysia in a changing Regional Order’ here today.
Dr Mahathir was commenting on the severe toxic pollution at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, three months after the first discovery in March which had affected more than 6,000 residents.
Schools there were also forced to temporarily close after some students complained of nausea and dizziness and experienced vomiting on June 20.
It was reported that authorities have identified 30 chemical factories which may have caused the second air pollution in the district.
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin had said the case was not linked to the earlier incident, which was caused by toxic substances being dumped into Sungai Kim Kim.
Four people, including two Singaporeans, were charged in the Sessions Court for their alleged involvement in the earlier case.
On a separate matter, he said Malaysia was willing to consider selling national carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) but ensure that its Malaysian identity was retained.
"We have been making changes to Malaysian Airlines and each time they (management) failed. It's not just a change of management; lots of other things are wrong with the airline (and) has to be corrected.
"If there's a buyer, we'd like to sell it we have to retain its identity as the Malaysian Airlines," he said.