Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn Bhd, which has been blamed for polluting the Batu Feringghi River, is willing to meet the Penang state executive council to explain its side of the story.

However, IWK continued to deny being the main contributor of the stinky, black discharge into the river that sparked concerns it contains the dangerous E.coli bacteria .

"We are not the polluter and main cause (of the discharge), unless the Department of Environment (DoE) issues an official confirmation saying otherwise," IWK senior communications manager Shahrul Nizam Sulaiman said today.

"We will meet the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the state exco this Friday to explain the situation," Shahrul Nizam said.

He maintained that the IWK sewage plants were in good order and refuted State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairperson Chow Kon Yeow's assertion that the discharge was due to maintenance and flushing by IWK.

Waste from disposal collection centre?

IWK also said in a statement that the dark liquid-like matter could be from a solid waste disposal collection centre belonging to nearby hotels, which line the scenic Batu Feringghi coast.

At a press conference yesterday, Chow ticked off the IWK for denying its role in causing the sea pollution along the tourist belt, saying IWK was aware of the problem as its officers attended an emergency meeting called by the DOE on Tuesday to address the problem.

State exco members and representatives from IWK, the state Health Department, DID and the Penang Municipal Council were also present at the meeting at which several recommendations for several agencies to resolve the problem were outlined.

"We are not denying anything and I have not done anything wrong. What you have all heard is merely speculation," Shahrul Nizam said of the entire episode, which was highlighted by the press on Monday.

"As of now, we are not the cause of the pollution as there are other causes. We only discharge treated effluents into the river," he added.

Shahrul Nizam declined to comment on the possibility that the pollution - covering some 100 metres stretch of the river - is contaminated with E.coli. Laboratory test results on this will only be out on Monday.

Meanwhile, state MCA chief Chew Mei Fun chided the state government for pushing its responsibility around when it should be seeking a solution to the pollution.

In an immediate response to Chew, state Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairperson Phee Boon Poh ( right ) asked Chew to “do your homework before opening your mouth”.

"A leader should inspire people to work harder instead of making such statements," said Phee, after attending the Penang Development Corporation Chinese New Year celebration in Bayan Baru today.

The issue also did not escape Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s attention. He described IWK as ‘Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi’, a famous Malay proverb that criticises those who betray the people's trust, in his speech at a Chinese New Year gathering.

IWK diligently collects monthly fees for its services from companies and households.

Lim said he plans to write to the federal government to delegate its power to the states to penalise those who violate and pollute the environment.

"As of now, only the federal government can initiate legal action against the polluters as the laws to penalise the polluters come under the Environment Ministry," he said.