Students among plaintiffs in lawsuit over Sungai Kim Kim pollution

JOHOR BAHRU, July 17 (Bernama) -- Thirty-four students are among 171 individuals who are suing the Johor state government, Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian and 10 others over the pollution in Sungai Kim Kim near Pasir Gudang last March. 

The plaintiffs are claiming RM30 million in damages.

State Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee former chairman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal, state Environment Department former director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Saleh and state Drainage and Irrigation director Ir Che Mohd Dahan Che Jusof are also in the lawsuit.

Other defendants are Pasir Gudang Municipal Council president Zainor Adani, Environment Department director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Kamarul Najuib Che Ibrahim, Malaysian Government, P Tech Resources Sdn Bhd, and three individuals, N. Maridass, Yap Yoke Liang and Wang Jing Choa.

The latter three defendants have already been charged in court for the relevant offence.

The plaintiffs' lawyer Kamarudin Ahmad said the 34 students and eight members of the public are seeking an order to compel the state government to pay health examination costs for each of them for three years starting from the judgment date.

The plaintiffs also want an order for the state government to pay for their medical treatment for 10 years from the date of judgment should they suffer medical issues related to the pollution.

The suit was filed through Messrs Kamarudin & Partners at Johor Bahru High Court at 3 pm yesterday via e-filing.

"The students and fishermen are claiming damages for toxic gas inhalation following the pollution in Sungai Kim Kim, as a result of which they suffered symptoms such as vomiting, headache, coughing, fever, breathing difficulty, chest and throat pain.

"The plaintiffs said they suffer persistent muscle strain in their hands and legs, and high toxic level in the blood," he told reporters at the High Court compound here today.  He was accompanied by about 35 plaintiffs.

According to the lawyer, 129 fishermen from seven villages are claiming special damages of between RM15,000 and RM30,000 each. The fishermen alleged that the pollution had adversely affected their earnings as the public did not want to buy fish that were caught in Sungai Kim Kim.

Kamarudin said the suit would be brought for case management within three months while the trial would probably start in November.

-- BERNAMA