PASIR GUDANG, June 18 — The Johor Department of Environment (DoE) has detected air pollution that was believed to be caused by oil residue following an inspection in Taman Tanjung Puteri Resort here.

The DoE team, from the Pasir Gudang branch, were alerted on the matter after worried resident detected a chemical odour since last Saturday.

Johor DoE director Mohd Famey Yusoff said the department’s enforcement team and the Taman Pasir Putih police were despatched to the affected area following the complaints.

He said the team conducted an investigation and also monitoring at the location.

“We found that there was a strong odour resembling the smell of oil and traces of black oil residue found at the main drain of the residential area.

“Further checks found evidence of waste oil dumping at a house near the location of the incident, which is believed to be the cause of the odour pollution,” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Famey said the individuals concerned have been identified and their statements taken by DoE investigators.

“Immediate clean-up action was later carried out by contractors appointed by the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG).

“If the investigation results in a release, spill or pollution that violates the provisions under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), appropriate enforcement action will be taken,” he said.

Mohd Famey said all parties are reminded not to dispose of any oil, chemicals and scheduled wastes into drains and public drainage systems.

He said this can cause environmental pollution and affect the health and well-being of local residents.

“DoE is still conducting investigations to identify the type and source of the oil residue,” he said.

ISTANBUL, June 3 — Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkiye tomorrow before ‌departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) said on Wednesday.

Although it was one of the first teams to qualify, Iran’s participation in the World Cup ‌has been in doubt since the US and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February.

The squad have played three friendlies in two training camps in Antalya since the start of the war - losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia - and on Thursday will face Mali in the Turkish sea resort.

“Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team’s friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran’s head coach, tomorrow’s match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and ‌without media attendance,” FFIRI said in a statement.

The FFIRI persuaded FIFA to allow ⁠the team to swap its tournament ⁠base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, and from ⁠there they will commute across ⁠the border to their ⁠first two group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles.

Their third and final Group G game against Egypt is in Seattle.

US Secretary of State ⁠Marco Rubio on Tuesday said Washington had “no problem” with the Iranian team entering the country, but would not let officials or staff with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accompany them.

“What we’re not going to allow is for them to embed in their delegation a bunch of people that we know ⁠have nothing to do with athletics and have ties to the IRGC or things of that nature, so we were going to watch ⁠that very closely,” Rubio said during a House of Representatives committee hearing.

Both the US ⁠and Canada, ⁠who are co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico, classify the IRGC as a “terrorist entity.”

FFIRI President Mehdi Taj was refused entry into Canada for the FIFA Congress in late April because ‌of his links to the elite military force.

Iran are scheduled to kick off their campaign against New Zealand on June 15. — Reuters

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