Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin has vowed today to sue those behind a social media post accusing her husband’s involvement in the second bout of pollution scandal in Pasir Gudang.
In a statement on her Facebook page, Yeo labelled the photo and accusation as an insult to the hundreds of government officers involved in containing the pollution in Pasir Gudang, after many, mostly students, fell ill.
“They work tirelessly day and night to take parameter readers and analyse data to find the source of this incident.
“The move to politicise this incident is despicable and disgusting because it does not care for the feelings and trauma of parents and children affected by this situation.
“I will take legal action against all who spread this slander and abuse their freedom of speech,” she said.
The image carrying the photos of Yeo and her husband Lee Yeow Seng, who is the CEO of the IOI Properties Group, was shared on several social media sites, including the purported Facebook page of Johor Umno.
Lee is the youngest son of former IOI Group executive chairperson Lee Shin Cheng, who passed away on June 3.
The text accompanying the montage claims that Yeo’s husband has three chemical plants in Pasir Gudang, and asks: “Why is the government slow in taking action”?
The three plants are IOI Pan Century Oleochemicals, IOI Lipid Enzymetec, and IOI Pan Century Edible Oil, all of which are located in the Pasir Gudang Industrial Estate. However, they deal with palm oil rather than chemicals.
Yeo yesterday said that the latest incident is unrelated to Sungai Kim Kim, judging by the geographical spread of the victims as well as their blood tests but she has made it mandatory for schools in the area to have gas detectors.
There are currently 2,005 factories in Pasir Gudang, with 250 of them chemical plants.
Yeo had also said that the government will also not approve any more application for the construction of new chemical plants in Pasir Gudang to ensure a more sustainable development in the area, adding that the matter had been discussed with the state government.