It said the bid by Wangsa Maju MP Tan Yee Kew and 809 residents to obtain the relevant documents was nothing but a “fishing expedition”.

“This is merely a tactic by the plaintiffs to secure the documents and build their case. We will disclose the relevant documents when the trial commences,” it said in its affidavit to object to the application by Tan and the residents.

In addition, the federal government said, some particulars that Tan and the residents wanted were classified under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

“Therefore, the discovery bid by Tan and the residents was an abuse of court process,” it said.

Tan and the residents had applied for several documents from the authorities for an upcoming High Court trial over water supply disruptions.

Among the documents they are seeking are those on checks conducted on factories around Sungai Gong, trial documents related to the court case against the directors and manager of a workshop called Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd, and official reports on the Sept 3, 2020 Sungai Gong pollution.

They filed a suit in the High Court in April last year against Yip Chee Seng & Sons, the state authorities, and the federal government over water disruptions in the Klang Valley that lasted four days from Sept 3, 2020.

They want a court declaration that the workshop was liable for negligence, and that the public authorities, including the state and federal governments, had breached their statutory duties in not maintaining water quality.

They are also seeking damages for their hardship and suffering during the disruption.

Also named as defendants are the Selangor menteri besar, Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), Selangor Water Management Authority, and the drainage and irrigation department.

The other defendants are the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), the Environmental Quality Council, the environment department, the environment and water minister, Air Selangor, and Pakar Scieno TW Sdn Bhd.

No dates have been fixed for the hearing yet.