KUALA LUMPUR: The trial of four company directors and a workshop manager of a heavy machinery repair company charged with causing the pollution of Sungai Gong, Rawang, will start in June.
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The Sungai Gong water pollution incident last year had led to major water supply disruption in the Klang Valley, affecting millions in the area.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Rohaida Che Hamid said the Selayang Sessions Court today fixed six days for trial beginning June 2.
She said the dates were fixed by judge Maziah Joary Mohd Tajudin when the case came up for mention today.
“The prosecution had submitted the documents pertaining to the case and today the court had fixed the trial dates.
“Trial will be on June 2, 3, 9, 10, 17 and 22,” she said when met outside the Selayang courthouse today.
Siti Rohaida said the prosecution expects to call over 20 witnesses to testify in its case.
Counsel Datuk M. Reza Hassan who represented the five accused when met outside the court confirmed the matter.
They are brothers Yip Kok Wai, 54, Yip Kok Mun, 59, Yip Kok Kun, 51, and Yip Kok Weng, 61, who were the company directors and Ho Voon Leong, 60, the workshop manager.
On Sept 15, last year, the five claimed trial to two charges in connection with the Sungai Gong pollution which led to water cuts.
On the first count, they were accused of committing mischief by causing hazardous waste to flow from their workshop Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd into Sungai Gong knowing that it would cause cutbacks of water supply for human consumption.
The offence under Section 430 carries an imprisonment term of not more than 30 years, or a fine, or both, if convicted.
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On the second count, they were charged with discharging hazardous waste from the workshop which streamed down into Sungai Gong without a licence.
The charge framed under Section 25(3) of the Environment Quality Act carries a fine not more than RM100,000 or imprisonment of not more than five years or both, if convicted.
The offences were allegedly committed at the premises of Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd, at Lot 4219, Jalan Batu Arang, Kg Sungai Dua, Rawang, in Gombak, Selangor, between Sept 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, the court fixed Feb 25 for mention of the case of a company director and a road contractor who were charged with sabotaging the water services in Selangor.
The mention which was supposedly fixed for today was postponed since R. Nathan and Lim Kian Aik, both 43, were unable to appear in court today.
Deputy public prosecutor Ashyraf Ashyari Kamaruzaman said Feb 25 was for mention of the case to be transferred to the High Court.
The duo are the first individuals to be charged with such an offence under Section 124K of the Penal Code.
Since the procedural law for Section 124K was under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), the case must be tried at a High Court.
On Nov 23 last year, the two were charged with having common intention to cause harm to the water services in Selangor at a premises at Jalan Velox 2, Taman Velox, Rawang between Nov 2 and Nov 10, last year.
The offence carries a sentence of life imprisonment, upon conviction.
They are also facing five other counts under the Water Services Industry Act 2006 and the Environmental Quality Act 1974.- NST