A married couple were charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court today for the oil spill in Sungai Selangor which caused water disruption to an estimated one million consumers in the Klang Valley last month.

Ng Kim Bok, 55, faces 30 charges under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and Selangor Water Management Authority (SWMA) Enactment (No.2) 1999, while his wife H'ng Soo Chiew, 56, faces 20 counts under the same act and enactment.

The couple were accused in their capacity as owner (Ng) and directors (Ng and H'ng) of three companies, namely Muhibbah Mok Sdn Bhd, Ng Kim Bok Realty Sdn Bhd and Muhibbah Mok Workshop.

Muhibbah Mok Workshop operates in same location where the alleged incident occurred, Muhibbah Mok is the parent company of the motor workshop while Ng Kim Bok Realty is the land owner.

Ng and H'ng pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them before Judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar.

The couple were charged with disposing off scheduled waste (waste oil) without the approval of the environmental director-general, illegally dumping scheduled waste into an inland waterway and contaminating soil surface under the Environmental Quality Act.

Whereas under SWMA Enactment, they were charged with illegally using water from a water source at the back of their premises and releasing waste which contained oil into the same source.

The offences were allegedly committed at Sungai Gong, Lot 15322, Sungai Bakau, Bandar Kundang, Gombak near Shah Alam, between 9.50am and 11.40am, on Aug 30.

Mohammed Mokhzani set bail at RM150,000 and RM100,000 with one surety each for Ng and H'ng respectively and fixed Oct 10 for mention.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashraf Adrin while the couple were unrepresented.

On Aug 30, Phase 1, 2, 3 and the Rantau Panjang water treatment plants had to be shut down after their water source from Sungai Selangor was contaminated due to an oil spill upstream near Rawang.

- Bernama