Kuala lumpur: The deaths of caged fish in Sungai Kerian, reported on February 21, were linked to water discharged from oil palm plantations in Perak, the Kedah Department of Environment (DOE) said. Its director, Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab, stated that the department conducted thorough inspections along the affected stretch of the river from February 21 to February 23 to identify the cause of the incident.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the investigation found several discharges of water from oil palm plantations entering Sungai Samagagah in Perak before flowing into Sungai Kerian and subsequently into the state. Sharifah Zakiah mentioned that the discharged water is believed to have originated from runoff retention drains in the oil palm plantation areas and may have been mixed with fertiliser residue and agricultural pesticides.

The retention water is manually pumped into the river once it reaches a certain level, and water quality tests conducted at the discharge point found the water to be acidic. Sharifah Zakiah reported that the findings have been forwarded to the relevant agencies, including water regulatory, fisheries, and plantation authorities in the affected states, for further action.

Operators of the caged fish farms reported losses amounting to RM10,000. This incident follows a similar occurrence in November last year, when an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 tilapia died. Sharifah Zakiah emphasized that the issue of water discharge from oil palm plantation retention drains or any agricultural estates into rivers must be given collective attention to ensure river ecosystems are not affected.

The Kedah DOE urged the public to channel information and cooperate in reporting any environmental pollution activities via the hotline 1-800-88-2727 or through the DOE's eAduan website.