Fish deaths in Sungai Perak under investigation, says state exco

Perak Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the state government did not rule out the possibility that the incident was caused by waste discharged from a nearby palm oil mill, but a DOE investigation was necessary to establish the cause. — Picture via Facebook

First Published: Wednesday, 07 Oct 2026 10:19 AM MYT

IPOH, Oct 7 —The Department of Environment (DOE) is gathering evidence and conducting sample-matching tests to determine the actual cause of a fish die-off in Sungai Perak near Sayong, Kuala Kangsar recently.

Perak Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the state government did not rule out the possibility that the incident was caused by waste discharged from a nearby palm oil mill, but a DOE investigation was necessary to establish the cause.

“We suspect (the palm oil mill waste discharge), but there must be strong evidence before the matter can be brought to court.

“For now, DOE is conducting an investigation and we expect findings on the incident to be obtained soon,” he told reporters after attending the Perak Innovation Convention 2026 at Stadium Indera Mulia here today.

Previously, social media posts went viral showing various species of fish, including tengalan, baung and patin, dead at the location, raising concerns among netizens about water pollution that could affect the ecosystem and the livelihoods of inland fishermen. — Bernama