Private firms may help detect sludge dumpling
AFP, Bernama~ NST.
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia may hire private air-surveillance firms to detect rogue oil tankers dumping~ sludge in Malaysian waters after four oil slicks were found recently.
"Malaysia has a long coastal area and its surrounding waters are plied heavily by traffic. Therefore, heavy surveillance Is needed everywhere," said Science, Technology and Environment, Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding.
Three oil slicks have been detected around resort islands off Malaysia’s east coast over the past week, with oil, patches coating the sandy beaches and chasing away holiday-makers. Another slick’ sighted off Johor was estimated to cover 30 sq km.
Datuk Law said the government needed the services of private firms to supplement the restricted resources of the Department of Environment (DOE) because of the heavy traffic along the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.
The busy straits used to be a notorious spot for dumping sludge but after the authority ties stepped up surveillance in the area, ships and tankers had resorted to dumping in the South China Sea instead he said.
The DOE conducts check~ in the day but does not have the resources or equipment to conduct night surveillance said a DOE spokesman.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Enforcement Co-ordination Centre was intensifying a search for two ships for allegedly discharging engine oil inside Malaysia’s 320-km Exclusive Economic Zone oil Friday. — AFP, Bernama~ NST.
Source : The Straits Times 14th May 1995
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