Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the factory has since been sealed, and that appropriate action had been taken.

“The factory has been sealed and a compound issued. An investigation paper has also been opened for prosecution purposes,” he said today.

He voiced support for amendments to federal law to punish operators of such factories.

Amirudin added that efforts to eliminate the effects of the pollution had been under way since yesterday.

“Among the efforts being made now are putting charcoal powder (activated carbon) to reduce the effects of odour pollution, pumping water from the Bestari Jaya pond at 400 million litres of water per day and releasing water from the Sungai Tinggi dam for the purpose of flushing and diluting the pollution.”

He said 78 tankers, 22 jumbo lorry tanks, 54 static tanks, 18 local service centres and eight public water taps had been mobilised to help those affected. In addition, 23,000 five-litre drinking water bottles have been distributed.

Air Selangor officials would continue to monitor the situation, he said.

Operations of the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant and the Sungai Selangor water treatment plants phases 1, 2 and 3, were shut down yesterday following the discovery that the water source had been polluted.

A total of 1,292 locations across seven areas in the Klang Valley are experiencing water supply disruption. This includes Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang/Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.