originally posted on October 25, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The Home Ministry has to disclose what actions it will take to stop the contamination of the country’s water source as it is a matter of “national security”, DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo said today.

Gobind pointed out that the recent disruptions of water supply in Selangor were actually caused by contamination of sources in several states, which he said indicated that it is not a problem localised to Selangor alone.

“I call upon the Home Minister Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to state what steps his ministry will take to assist in efforts to overcome the water problem which is now affecting thousands of people in Selangor,” the Puchong MP said in a statement today.

Gobind said initial findings on the water supply disruption clearly pointed to contamination originating from Negri Sembilan’s Sungai Buah which then flowed into Sungai Semenyih, noting that Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has also indicated that initial problems of contamination were found to have originated from Pahang.

“It would appear therefore that the problem is not localised but extends across various states,” Gobind said.

He stressed the severity of the matter with the health and daily routine of Selangor residents affected by the water supply disruptions, also noting that the chemicals allegedly involved are “severely toxic” as they reportedly caused charring of green grass on river banks.

While the Selangor government has identified the contamination source and is “doing everything it can to deal with it”, the Home Ministry had not publicly reveal how it would dealt with the problem, he said.

“Despite the severity of the allegations, which extend to sabotage and so forth, there appears to be absent in all this a public announcement on part of the Home Ministry on measures it proposes to take to deal with the problem.

“To me, this is a matter of national security which demands the attention of all parties concerned be they state or federal agencies,” he added.

Gobind cautioned that the future of the entire country was at stake.

We must find the root cause of it and work towards ensuring that it does not occur again. If we don’t, the problem will continue not just here in Selangor but throughout the country in future. It will affect thousands of Malaysians, society and the economy,” he said.