The Johor government has formed a special team to investigate claims that construction waste from Singapore was illegally dumped in Pontian.
Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the team would take an integrated approach to ensure the allegations were properly investigated.
The team will include several agencies, including local authorities, the police, district offices, and the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWCorp). The investigation will also determine whether the alleged dumping activities are still happening.
Mohd Jafni spoke about the issue on Aug 11 after visiting an illegal scrap recycling premise in Kampung Maju Jaya, Kempas, Johor Bahru, which was allegedly involved in illegal open burning activities.
He was responding to claims that construction waste from Singapore had been transported into Johor before being dumped in Pontian.
Johor says illegal waste dumping will not be tolerated
Mohd Jafni said waste brought into Johor from Singapore must have the necessary permits and approvals.
If waste was transported and dumped without the required permissions, such activity would not be allowed, he said. He also stressed that the state government would take action under existing laws if the allegations were proven.
Authorities have received reports about alleged dumping in Sungai Karang, Pontian, and several nearby areas.
However, the reports remain under investigation, with authorities yet to confirm whether the alleged activities took place as claimed. If the investigation finds that illegal dumping is still taking place, an integrated enforcement team will be deployed immediately.
Mohd Jafni said the state would not compromise with parties that used Johor as a place to dispose of waste illegally. He also highlighted the need for coordinated enforcement to prevent the issue from happening again and to protect residents and the environment.
Authorities will also examine whether the waste was transported into Johor with the required documentation and approvals. Any enforcement action will depend on the findings of the investigation and the relevant laws.
Claims raise questions about enforcement
The investigation comes after DAP parliamentarian Lim Lip Eng called for accountability over a report alleging that trailers from Singapore had been dumping construction waste in Pontian for the past two years.
The Kepong MP questioned whether there had been any negligence in enforcement and checks at the Singapore-Johor border if the allegations were found to be true. The claims have therefore raised questions about how waste could allegedly be transported across the border and disposed of in Johor without the necessary approvals.
For now, however, authorities have not confirmed that the alleged cross-border dumping occurred. The special team will look into the reports and see if any laws were broken. If violations are found, authorities said action will be taken under existing laws.
The probe also puts the spotlight on illegal dumping, especially when nearby communities and the environment could be affected. For now, authorities are trying to figure out if the dumping actually happened, who was behind it, and whether it’s still going on.
The investigation will involve multiple agencies, allowing authorities to check the reports from different angles and coordinate any enforcement action if required. Officials have not announced a conclusion on the allegations, and the investigation is still ongoing.
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