292,158 Johor consumer accounts affected by Sungai Johor pollution will receive a 15% rebate on their October water bills, says Menteri Besar.
JOHOR BAHRU: A total of 292,158 consumer accounts affected by the recent Sungai Johor pollution will receive a 15% rebate on their October water bills.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the discount covers both domestic and non-domestic users, including residential homes, places of worship, business premises and welfare institutions.
He said the assistance was aimed at easing the burden and acknowledging the patience of those affected.
“I realise this assistance may not fully reflect the hardships endured, but I hope it will at least help ease the burden and provide some relief to those affected,” he said in a Facebook post.
The state government also extended its apologies to the people over the incident, describing it as a serious matter that had affected livelihoods and disrupted family activities.
The pollution also disrupted operations of schools, hospitals and business premises.
Onn Hafiz said the state government understands the concerns of the people and takes seriously every complaint and challenge faced during the disruption period.
He pledged that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Although water supply had been fully restored at 9pm last night, Ranhill SAJ field teams were still conducting comprehensive inspections at several locations to ensure stable water pressure and flow.
He expressed his appreciation to all agencies and frontline personnel, including Ranhill SAJ staff who worked tirelessly.
He also thanked the people for their patience, cooperation and strong sense of solidarity throughout the disruption.
The state government will continue efforts to strengthen the water supply system to ensure that the rights of the people are always protected.
The incident affected 292,158 consumer accounts, involving nearly 1.17 million residents in Kota Tinggi, Johor Bahru, Pontian, Gelang Patah and Kulai.
Last Friday, a sand-washing pond at a company’s land sand-mining site in the Kota Tinggi district had burst, contaminating Sungai Johor and its tributaries.
This led to the closure of four water treatment plants in stages.
The incident also affected the livelihoods of more than 150 fishermen, including members of the Orang Asli community living along the upper reaches of Sungai Johor. – Bernama
