Kuala Lumpur: Selangor water polluters will be subject to a possible RM1 million fine and a mandatory prison sentence after the amendments made to the Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (Luas) Enactment 1999 today.
A total of 10 amendments were voted for in the Selangor Legislative assembly and apart from heavy penalties, recompense system has also been introduced for whistleblowers.
Major changes include a mandatory prison sentence if convicted and a fine worth RM200,000, doubling the previous charges.
It also carries sections, which now define pollution as contamination that affect the taste and smell of water. Adding to the current sections it only covers the disposal of contaminants or poisons into a water source.
The charges have been improvised considering the heavy offences which call for mandatory imprisonment.
Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari said the current charges will prevent polluters from polluting water. Along with these charges, the suspect will now have to bear the clean-up and restoration costs.
Other changes include a deputy director position within Luas, who will assume the responsibilities of a chief in the absence of the director.