KOTA KINABALU: Four sawmills in the east coast district of Tawau have run afoul of the law after they were found to have been discharging oil waste and saw dust in the Merotai River where thousands of farmed fish have died.
The sawmill owners were fined RM2,000 last month and ordered to ensure their plant wastes were no longer dumped into the waterway.
"We are watching them and if they fail to abide by the directive we will take harsher measures including court action," Sabah Department of Environment (DOE) director Razak Abdul Manaf said Tuesday.
He said under Section 25(3) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, offenders could face a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years.
Razak said those convicted for dumping oil waste in the rivers could face a further fine of up to RM500,000 and five years' jail term under Section 34B(4) of the same Act.
He said the department's enforcement personnel went into action after receiving word hundreds of fish farmed by fishermen along the Merotai River had died due to pollution in the waterway.
"Further checks revealed that the four sawmills were discharging their oil waste and saw dust into the river.
"However further investigations must be carried out to determine what caused the deaths of the fish," Razak added.
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