KOTA KINABALU: The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry will double its efforts to tackle the air pollution problem in Pasir Gudang, Johor.
Its Deputy Minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said authorities would conduct checks on 250 petrochemical-based factories in the area to identify the cause of the pollution which left hundreds hospitalised and schools temporarily closed last month.
"The health impact at Pasir Gudang is different from Sungai Kim Kim, in that the latter has obvious cause and we have evidence of people dumping waste.
"In this case (Pasir Gudang), we only see the effects but not the cause.
"Until now, we are still investigating and collecting data from various perimeters," she said.
Isnaraissah was speaking to reporters after launching the sixth Biotechnology Symposium organised by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
Present were deputy vice chancellor Prof Dr Marcus Japony and UMS Biotechnology Research Institute director Dr Zarina Amin.
Isnaraissah said that for now, the situation in Pasir Gudang was still under control and none of the victims had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
It was previously reported that there were many schoolchildren in Pasir Gudang suffering from health problems resulted from what was believed to be polluted air.