THE Penang government wants offenders of illegal dumping to be hit hard.
State Housing, Town and Country Planning and Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh reaffirmed the state’s stand that it would not tolerate illegal dumping.
He said he has instructed the legal advisers in Penang to arrange a meeting session not only with the local authorities but also all the agencies such as the Immigration Department, Customs Department, Department of Environment, and the police to discuss ways to bring to book the offenders under more stringent laws.
“We want to join force with them to curb this problem,” he told a press conference today.
“We are of the view that sentences which are imposed on the offenders committing illegal dumping should serve as a ‘deterrent’.”
Jagdeep’s comments came following the outcome of a court case yesterday where a landowner of an illegal dumpsite in Bukit Teh was imposed a RM2,000 fine.
An illegal factory situated in the vicinity of the dumpsite was also slapped a RM2,000 fine.
According to Jagdeep, besides the maximum fine, the most important thing is to clear the waste which he said should be done by the offender.
“Under the law (local government), there is a provision which says that the person who is found to have committed that offence (illegal dumping) must abate it.
“This comes under Section 82 of the Local Government Act which requires the perpetrator to abate the waste. I believe action will be taken under this section against the perpetrator (Bukit Teh illegal dumping),” added Jagdeep.
Jagdeep also shared some of the laws which could be used to punish the perpetrators such as the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 section 70 (A), which provides a RM50,000 fine or five years jail.
“Other than that, we also have the Town and Country Planning Act which provides for a fine of not more than RM500,000 or imprisonment term of not more than two years.
“The most serious one of all is the Environmental Quality Act section 29 which prescribes for a maximum fine of RM500,000 and a maximum imprisonment term of not more than five years,” said Jagdeep.
Also present were Seberang Perai Municipal Council president Datuk Rozali Mohamud and Penang Island City Council mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.