09 SEPTEMBER 2013www.freemalaysiatoday.com
Press Metal aluminium plants at Sarawak face allegation for health hazards
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
A group of independent documentary makers has produced videos alleging that two aluminium smelter plants in Sarawak pose health hazards to people living in the surrounding areas.
In a series of clips uploaded to YouTube, several people are interviewed about the health problems they have experienced since a company called Press Metal Sarawak set up a smelting plant in Balingian. The company now has another plant in Similajau.
They people featured in the clips complain of coughing, sleeplessness, kidney problems and other ailments.
The videos are produced by a group called People’s Documentary, described in its Facebook page as a “leading film maker of social and environmental films”.
The latest video in the series was uploaded last Sept 1. It features one Ngam ak Benang of Rumah Randi, Balingian, alleging that he complaining of coughs and headaches. He also mentions having diabetes, but it is not clear whether he attributes that to the presence of the smelting plant in the area.
Both the Balingian and Similajau plants apparently stopped operations for three weeks from June 27 due to a power outage. Ngam says there was no improvement in his health during that period.
“We got the diseases from the water we drink,” he says. “The water was polluted by powder emitted from the factory.
“If possible, I want the factory to pay us compensation and stop operations.”
The clip also shows images of the newer and bigger Press Metal plant in Similajau. A commentator says: “There will be three times greater amount of pollutants.”
A video dated Aug 23 shows a woman claiming that she has been suffering from a mysterious kidney condition.
“There is something wrong with my kidneys,” she says. “I’ve been treated twice in Sarawak General Hospital. The doctors already took samples from my kidneys three times now, but still they have not found what is wrong with them.”
She says she lives 4km from the Balingian plant and drinks rain water.
In a series of clips uploaded to YouTube, several people are interviewed about the health problems they have experienced since a company called Press Metal Sarawak set up a smelting plant in Balingian. The company now has another plant in Similajau.
They people featured in the clips complain of coughing, sleeplessness, kidney problems and other ailments.
The videos are produced by a group called People’s Documentary, described in its Facebook page as a “leading film maker of social and environmental films”.
The latest video in the series was uploaded last Sept 1. It features one Ngam ak Benang of Rumah Randi, Balingian, alleging that he complaining of coughs and headaches. He also mentions having diabetes, but it is not clear whether he attributes that to the presence of the smelting plant in the area.
Both the Balingian and Similajau plants apparently stopped operations for three weeks from June 27 due to a power outage. Ngam says there was no improvement in his health during that period.
“We got the diseases from the water we drink,” he says. “The water was polluted by powder emitted from the factory.
“If possible, I want the factory to pay us compensation and stop operations.”
The clip also shows images of the newer and bigger Press Metal plant in Similajau. A commentator says: “There will be three times greater amount of pollutants.”
A video dated Aug 23 shows a woman claiming that she has been suffering from a mysterious kidney condition.
“There is something wrong with my kidneys,” she says. “I’ve been treated twice in Sarawak General Hospital. The doctors already took samples from my kidneys three times now, but still they have not found what is wrong with them.”
She says she lives 4km from the Balingian plant and drinks rain water.
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