30/11/2012 (Borneo Post) - An oil palm mill in Naman was yesterday fined RM13,000 by the Sessions Court here for allowing effluent to flow into the watercourse.

The Manis Palm Oil Mill was charged under Section 16(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and punishable under Section 16 (2) of the same act.

Its owner admitted committing the offence which is punishable with a fine not exceeding RM25,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years. It was committed at the mill premises in Assan Land District at 11.20am on Feb 15.

The effluent discharged into the watercourse was found to contain substances in concentration exceeding the stipulated limits under Regulation 12 (4), Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil) Regulations 1977.

Prosecutor Zuhairiah Jon from the Department of Environment said that they had previously issued five notices to the company.

She thus urged the judge, Jason Juga, to impose a heavy penalty, saying the company had apparently taken no heed of their five notices.