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| Photos of palm oil spill (above) and sand mining operations (below) from Bernama |
Singapore agencies were closely monitoring and as at 1 Nov, NParks has not observed any impact at biodiversity-rich sites at Pulau Ubin, Coney Island Park, Pasir Ris Park and Changi Beach Park. Water quality in Singapore is normal and fish farms are unaffected.
PUB’s Johor River Waterworks have been temporarily suspended, water supply in Singapore remains unaffected as it has stepped up production at local plants to meet demand. Operations will resume when water quality checks show that the Johor River quality is back to normal.
Media articles below
Singapore closely monitoring East Johor Strait
NEA facebook post 1 Nov 2025Singapore agencies are closely monitoring the East Johor Strait following two pollution incidents - one affecting the Johor River caused by sand mining activities; and another involving a palm oil spill that affected the coastal waters off Kampung Pasir Putih in Johor.
NEA is in touch with the Department of Environment, Johor and understands that the sources of pollution from both incidents have been contained and stopped. Oil cleanup is also ongoing and most of the palm oil has been cleaned up.
Water quality in Singapore has been normal and so far our shoreline has been unaffected.
To date, our fish farms are unaffected. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working closely with fish farms in the East Johor Strait to take the necessary preventive measures.
NParks has not observed any impact at biodiversity-rich sites at Pulau Ubin, as well as Coney Island Park, Pasir Ris Park and Changi Beach Park.
PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency is closely monitoring water quality at our coastal reservoirs near the East Johor Strait. So far there are no sightings of palm oil near our tidal gates. We do not expect any impact to operations at our desalination plants, which are located in the southern part of Singapore.
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore - MPA patrol craft are equipped with absorbent materials, and oil recovery equipment is on standby to be activated, if required.
Singapore authorities monitoring East Johor Strait closely after 2 pollution incidents
Johor residents surveyed by Bernama expressed concern after hundreds of fish were found dead because of the muddy water in the river.
Gabrielle Andres Straits Times Nov 01, 2025, 09:25 AM
SINGAPORE – The Singapore authorities are monitoring bodies of water in Johor following two incidents of pollution.
The National Environment Agency (NEA), in a Facebook post on Nov 1, said that one incident affects the Johor River and was caused by sand mining activities, while the second involves a palm oil spill that affects coastal waters off Kampung Pasir Putih.
It added that it is in touch with the Department of Environment in Johor and understands that the sources of pollution from both incidents have been contained and stopped.
“Oil clean-up is also ongoing and most of the palm oil has been cleaned up,” it added.
It said water quality in Singapore has been normal, and the shoreline and local fish farms have not been affected so far.
“The Singapore Food Agency is working closely with fish farms in the East Johor Strait to take the necessary preventive measures,” said NEA.
It added that the National Parks Board has not observed any impact on biodiversity-rich sites at Pulau Ubin, Coney Island Park, Pasir Ris Park or Changi Beach Park.
Meanwhile, operations at PUB’s Johor River Waterworks have been temporarily suspended, the national water agency said earlier on Nov 1.
In response to media queries, it said it was aware of a water pollution incident affecting the Johor River.
However, PUB also said that water supply in Singapore remains unaffected as it has stepped up production at local plants to meet demand.
“PUB is monitoring the raw water quality in the Johor River closely,” it added, noting that the suspension is a precautionary measure. “Operations will resume when water quality checks show that the Johor River quality is back to normal.”
Malaysia’s Environment Department on Oct 31 confirmed damage to a “bund silt pond” believed to be caused by sand dredging activities upstream, reported Bernama.
The report quoted Johor’s Environment Department director, Dr Mohd Famey Yusoff, as saying that the state’s water regulatory body has ordered an immediate stop to the sand dredging operations.
However, he added then that the escaped silt could not be contained and that it continued to flow into the river.
Residents surveyed by Bernama expressed concern after hundreds of fish were found dead because of the muddy water in the river.
The news outlet said the muddiness is believed to have been caused by a burst holding pond belonging to a sand mining company, and that residents have made police reports in response.
Singapore is allowed to draw up to 250 million gallons of water a day from the Johor River under the 1962 Water Agreement. The agreement will expire in 2061.
In return, Singapore is obliged to provide Johor with treated water – up to 2 per cent of the water the Republic imports.
The Linggiu Reservoir, which was constructed by PUB and is located upstream of the Johor River Waterworks, releases water into the river to supplement its flow.
“This enables reliable abstraction of raw water at the Johor River Waterworks, which is owned and operated by PUB for treatment,” the PUB website states.
In the second incident, fishing in the waters off Kampung Pasir Putih was temporarily suspended after Malaysian fishermen reported a palm oil spill in the area.
Fishing in the waters off Kampung Pasir Putih was temporarily suspended after Malaysian fishermen reported a palm oil spill in the area.
The spill, detected on Oct 30, is estimated to have spread over a 1km stretch and affected more than 100 fishermen, Bernama reported, citing Kampung Pasir Putih Fishermen’s Association head, Mr Hamzah Allahdita.
The source is suspected to be a palm oil processing plant.
Mr Hamzah also told the news outlet that fishermen and mussel farmers in the area had to suspend their activities amid clean-up works, and this has disrupted their main income source.
The officer in charge of the Seri Alam police district, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Sohaimi Ishak, was quoted in the Bernama article as saying that fishermen have made 10 police reports over the incident, and that investigations are ongoing.
Singapore monitoring East Johor Strait after two pollution incidents
One incident involved a palm oil spill in the coastal waters off Kampung Pasir Putih in Johor.
Channel NewsAsia 01 Nov 2025 02:26PM(Updated: 01 Nov 2025 02:54PM)
SINGAPORE: Singapore authorities are "closely monitoring" the East Johor Strait following two pollution incidents, including a palm oil spill in the coastal waters off Kampung Pasir Putih in Johor.
The other incident affected the Johor River and was caused by sand mining activities, said Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) on Saturday (Nov 1). PUB has temporarily suspended operations at its Johor River Waterworks.
Both incidents are not connected.
NEA is in touch with Johor's Department of Environment and "understands that the sources of pollution from both incidents have been contained and stopped".
"Oil cleanup is also ongoing and most of the palm oil has been cleaned up," said the agency in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon.
It added that water quality in Singapore has been normal. Singapore's shoreline and fish farms are unaffected.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working closely with fish farms in the East Johor Strait to take the necessary preventive measures, while the National Parks Board (NParks) has not seen any impact on biodiversity-rich sites at Pulau Ubin, Coney Island, Pasir Ris Park and Changi Beach Park.
PUB is closely monitoring water quality at Singapore's coastal reservoirs near the East Johor Strait, and there have so far been no sightings of palm oil near the country's tidal gates.
"We do not expect any impact to operations at our desalination plants, which are located in the southern part of Singapore," said PUB.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore patrol craft that are equipped with absorbent materials and oil recovery equipment are on standby to be activated, if required.
Operations at PUB Johor River Waterworks suspended after water pollution incident
Water supply in Singapore remains unaffected, says PUB.
Channel NewsAsia 01 Nov 2025 09:44AM(Updated: 01 Nov 2025 02:53PM)
SINGAPORE: Operations at PUB's Johor River Waterworks have been temporarily suspended after a water pollution incident affecting the Johor River.
"Water supply in Singapore remains unaffected as PUB has stepped up production at local plants to meet demand," said Singapore's national water agency on Saturday morning (Nov 1).
"PUB is monitoring the raw water quality in the Johor River closely. Operations will resume when water quality checks show that the Johor River quality is back to normal."
Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon that agencies are closely monitoring the East Johor Strait following two pollution incidents.
One of the incidents affected the Johor River and was caused by sand mining activities.
NEA said it is in touch with Johor's Department of Environment and that the incident has been "contained and stopped".
In its Facebook post, NEA also gave details of a palm oil spill in Johor coastal waters, which has also been contained. The two incidents are not connected.
Over 100 Fishermen Affected by Palm Oil Spill in Kampung Pasir Putih
Bernama 31 Oct 2025
Kampung Pasir Putih Fishermen's Association head Hamzah Allahdita said the spill, detected yesterday afternoon, is estimated to have spread over a one-kilometre stretch and is suspected to have originated from a palm oil processing plant.
The oil follows the water current. Not all areas are affected, but parts of the sea surface are clearly coated with a yellowish layer. Many fishing boats have also been smeared with oil,” he told Bernama when met at the village jetty today.
He said that while no mussels or fish have been reported dead, harvesting has been temporarily suspended for two to three days as a precaution to ensure food safety.
"The mussels are still alive, but when we clean them, they're oily. In that condition, customers won't buy them. We're worried the mussels will spoil and become unsellable" he said.
Hamzah said fishermen and mussel farmers have had to suspend fishing and aquaculture activities while cleanup works are being carried out, disrupting their main source of income.
A mussel raft operator, Faizul Jumat Ismail, said his daily output of more than 300 kilograms of seafood, including mussels, has now come to a complete halt.
"My estimated losses are around RM20,000 because we can't continue working or sell our products" he said.
"We're still waiting for the full report and for the cleanup to be completed. Hopefully, the impact of this spill doesn't drag on and affect our livelihoods for too long" he added.
A Bernama check at the site found cleanup operations actively underway, involving about 30 workers using various methods, including jetting water, flushing and removing oil residues from the seabed.
A representative from the cleaning company said the process is expected to take two to three days to restore the coastal waters to a clean and safe condition for fishing activities.
Meanwhile, Seri Alam district police chief ACP Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said 10 police reports have been lodged by fishermen over the incident, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Sungai Sayong in Johor Polluted with Thick Much, Fishermen Seek Help
Bernama 31 Oct 2025
KOTA TINGGI, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Residents and fishermen in Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang near here expressed their sadness and disappointment when hundreds of fish were found dead due to muddy river pollution, believed to have been caused by a leak in the reservoir owned by a sand mining company.
Fisherman, Arif Adong, 50, said he became aware of the incident at about 7 am when he went down to the river to check the fish cages he was working on.
According to him, the incident has affected the income of local fishermen who depend entirely on the river's produce to support their families.
"When I looked, the river was full of mud. The fish in the cages were all dead. I went down to see the longlines on the banks, the same thing happened, the fish were dead and many were stranded because of the muddy water."
"It really affects us because we earn our daily livelihood in the river. Now that it has happened like this, it is really sad. If we are affected for a long time, we will have to find part-time jobs to support our families" he told Bernama today.
In line with that, Mazuri Maz, 39, hopes that the fate of the affected fishermen will be protected and that the party responsible will provide appropriate compensation to those who have lost their livelihood.
He said that a police report has been filed at Bandar Tenggara police station and his party hopes that the relevant departments including the Department of Environment (DOE) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) will take immediate action against the responsible party.
"We hope that the state government will take this matter seriously. Pollution cases have indeed happened before, but this time is the worst."
"Previously, when we made a report, we fishermen never even received a full report or compensation. This time, if possible, let strict action be taken not with temporary compensation but with a direct summons so that it becomes a lesson" he stressed.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Tenggara Parliament Orang Asli Community Land Fishermen's Fisheries Network and chairman of JPKKOA Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang, Jasni Amat, also regretted the incident which disrupted the livelihood of fishermen who depend entirely on the river.
Following that, he hoped that the state government, DOE and relevant agencies would immediately go to the ground to assess the impact of the pollution and ensure that the parties involved were responsible for covering the losses of the affected fishermen.
"I have filed a police report in Bandar Tenggara for the fishermen who lost their livelihood. We are asking the company to pay damages and provide compensation to the fishermen involved."
"This morning I sent several videos and pictures to the State Department of Environment and to the Mukim head for district action. The District Officer has been informed and the DID has also been notified. Now we are just waiting for the company to close the broken place."
"The mining company is trying to close the area involved so that dirty water does not enter the river again, but they have not come to meet the villagers" he said.
The pollution incident has been reported by Bernama and the report has been extended to the state Health and Environment Committee chairman, Ling Tian Soon.
DOE confirms damage to 'Bund Silt Pond' resulting in pollution to Sungai Johor
Bernama 31 Oct 2025
JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- The Department of Environment (DOE) has investigated and confirmed damage to a 'bund silt pond'; believed to be caused by sand dredging activities in upstream Sungai Johor, Kota Tinggi, near here.
Johor DOE director Dr. Mohd Famey Yusoff said following this, the Johor water regulatory body Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (Bakaj) ordered the sand dredging operation to be stopped immediately.
"Besides that, we have also directed immediate repair work on the 'bund', but the escaped 'silt' could not be contained as it continued to flow into the river" he said in a statement today.
Previously, a Bernama survey found that residents and fishermen in Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang, Kota Tinggi, near here, were distressed when hundreds of fish were found dead due to muddy water in the river, believed to have been caused by a burst holding pond belonging to a sand mining company.
Police reports were also made by residents at the Bandar Tenggara police station, and they hope that the relevant agencies, including the DOE and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), will take immediate action against those responsible.
The pollution incident had been reported by Bernama, with the report being extended to the State Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, and he took note of it.
Meanwhile, Ranhill SAJ announced in a separate statement that water treatment plants (WTPs) along the Sungai Johor, Kota Tinggi had to cease operations due to raw water contamination, leading to unplanned water supply disruptions.
The company will also mobilise alternative water supply assistance via tanker trucks to affected areas, as needed.
Any updates will be communicated from time to time. We appreciate your patience and cooperation in dealing with this situation," it said.
The Johor water operator announced that the affected areas include parts of Senai and Skudai, Seelong and Felda Linggiu, Kulai; Petri Jaya, Kota Tinggi; and Lima Kedai, Iskandar Puteri.
