PORT DICKSON – The clean-up is almost complete on an oil slick that contaminated 2km of Pantai Cermin, Batu 10 near here.
Authorities have been working around the clock to ensure the beach is open for public use in the next two weeks.
“We are almost done with the clean up on the Negri Sembilan side, but we are having a difficult time near the waters of Melaka given that the oil slick has spread to the mangrove areas.
“However, we are on track to complete the clean-up in two weeks,” said a spokesman from Negri Sembilan’s Department of Environment.
Negri Sembilan district office representative said the beach will only be open to public once it is deemed safe, and authorities are sure the oil slick has been removed from the waters off Pantai Cermin.
“Tomorrow is the fourth day of the clean-up and we are making good progress.”
At the same time, investigations into the oil slick are ongoing as the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APMM) has yet to find the cause of the environmental disaster.
Ten agencies involving 83 personnel carried out works to clean up the oil spill.
Port Dickson District Disaster Management Secretariat, in a statement, said the agencies involved were the police, APMM, Department of Environment, Port Dickson Municipal Council and the Public Works Department.
Other agencies were Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the Marine Department, People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), SWM Environment Sdn Bhd, and the Irrigation and Drainage Department.
Meanwhile, Sahabat Alam Malaysia honorary secretary S. Mageswari said terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems would have been affected by the oil slick in Port Dickson, including serious impact on those depending on the coastal area for their livelihoods.
“It is crucial that the source of the oil slick is identified and the guilty party fined under the Environmental Quality Act,” she told The Vibes.
She also said aside from paying for the damages and clean-up, the perpetrator should compensate the loss of livelihood of fishermen here and others whose economic activities were affected by the oil slick.
“I’m concerned that it might take time to properly clean up the oil slick and for the marine environment to fully recover.” – The Vibes, October 17, 2020
Additional reporting by Cindi Loo
