KULAI, July 6 — The Johor Department of Environment (DOE) is identifying the individuals or parties involved in the chemical spillage said to have caused polluted Sungai Sengkang here recently.

Johor DOE director Dr Mohd Famey Yusoff said that it had called up several individuals yesterday to assist in the investigation of the pollution under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127).

"So, I can’t give out more information at this stage,” he said when met near the scene yesterday.

Earlier today, a Johor DOE team inspected a premise in Jalan Besar, Kampung Baru, Sengkang, which is believed to be storage for 116 intermediate bulk containers filled with various chemical mixtures.

Elaborating, he said the inspection was carried out due to its close proximity to the polluted river.

Upon inspection, the Johor DOE found that the premises had been operating illegally as it was situated on agricultural land.

However, he did not explain if there was any link between the illegal premises and the river pollution.

Mohd Famey said efforts to clean up the affected river and drains were almost completed and they are still waiting for the analysis report on several chemical samples that were sent to the Department of Chemistry for further investigation.

According to him the pollution also did not affect the Sultan Ismail water treatment plant, which is the nearest to the scene at more than 20 kilometres away.

On Sunday, two women were reportedly rushed to hospital after experiencing symptoms of vomiting, believed to be due to inhalation of chemical fumes of a leaked substance from a storage warehouse that flowed into the river near their house at Jalan Besar Kampung Baru, Sengkang in Kulai. — Bernama