The area around Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, Johor which was contaminated by chemical waste has been thoroughly cleansed, said Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said the dangerous wastes collected at the Environmental Quality Disposal Centre have been disposed of.

Zuraida said this in a statement issued to correct her earlier statement to the media today that the breathing difficulties suffered by students in Pasir Gudang were caused by improper management of chemical waste from Sungai Kim Kim.

Zuraida said she was correcting several facts after obtaining the latest information.

In her earlier statement, Zuraida was reported to have said that early investigations by the Fire and Rescue Department found chemical components from the toxic waste sent to the cleaning contractor to be still present and had not been thoroughly disposed.

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin had previously been reported to say Sungai Kim Kim had been cleansed and was safe several days after the cleaning works.

The process of cleaning the river in the affected 1.5 kilometres area began on March 13 and was completed on March 17, involving several parties including three appointed contractors and authorities like the Fire and Rescue Department.

- Bernama