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All Pasir Gudang education institutions closed till Thursday

Jun 25, 2019

All schools, kindergartens and higher learning institutions in Pasir Gudang, Johor have been ordered to close, due to the chemical pollution in the area. 

In total, 475 education institutions will be shut until Thursday as a precaution. 

To date, more than a hundred students have been affected by the problem, which was first detected last Thursday.

Meanwhile, there appears to be some confusion over the actual cause of the pollution.

Yesterday, the Housing and Local Government Minister was quoted as saying that the pollution is linked to the Sungai Kim Kim chemical spill back in March. 

Now, however, she has clarified that is it in fact not linked, saying that based on the latest information, the hazardous materials in Sg Kim Kim had already been cleared and disposed of. 

Even the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry says the latest pollution is not linked to Sg Kim Kim, saying the two chemical compounds from the previous case, had not been detected this time round.

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Govt not out to bankrupt UMNO

There is no ulterior motive behind the civil forfeiture suit initiated by the MACC against UMNO. 

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the case is about having the former ruling party return stolen money, brushing aside speculation that the Pakatan Harapan government is out to bankrupt UMNO.

"If they've done wrong, the need to be held accountable under the law. There is no question. If we wanted to bankrupt them, we could have done that much earlier."

The civil forfeiture suit announced last week involve 41 individuals, political parties, trust funds and business entities, from whom the MACC is hoping to recover some RM270 mil misappropriated from 1MDB.

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No need for RCI in Adib case

There is no need at the moment to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the death of fireman Mohd Adib. 

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin says this is because the ongoing inquest on Adib's death, which began in February, is proceeding smoothly.

The inquest resumes this Thursday.