SEREMBAN: The authorities seized some 200 tonnes of electronic waste from a clandestine factory on Jalan Kuala Sawah, Kg Puchong, near here, in an integrated operation today.
State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman S. Veerapan (pix) said they raided the electronic waste-processing factory at 10 am.
He said the illegal factory was started by Chinese nationals in 2020 but it ceased operations for a while before resuming in 2023.
“The factory workers are mostly Myanmar nationals and the factory was rented at RM38,000 per month. The waste materials are believed to have been brought into the country from the United States and China through Port Klang using false declarations,“ he told reporters here.
The more than 60 workers in the factory fled on seeing the raiding party but five Myanmar nationals and two Bangladeshis were apprehended, he said.
He said that the waste disposal operations were detrimental to the environment and people’s health as the factory is located just some 100 metres from Sungai Linggi and could cause river pollution.
According to him, the operation involved 71 personnel from various agencies including the state Department of Environment (DOE), the police, the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), the Immigration Department, the Department of Labour, the state Wildlife and National Parks Department and the Seremban City Council.
He said the raid also uncovered filthy living quarters of foreign workers within the factory premises.
A check by Bernama showed that the living quarters had poor ventilation and were littered with dirty clothing and kitchen items.
Additionally, three protected softshell turtles were found in a container and handed over to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department.
Veerapan said the factory had committed nine offences under the jurisdiction of various agencies including DOE, the local council and the Immigration Department. -Bernama
