An accident that occurred over the weekend resulted in over 10,000 litres of palm oil spilling on KM290 of the North-South Highway. The incident happened in the early hours of the morning when a container lorry ran into the back of a tanker lorry.
The Gopeng and Simpang Pulai Fire and Rescue departments sent in 21 personnel to help with the cleanup operations. It took them 2 hours to clear the roads of the palm oil spill. They used high pressure water cannons to help clear the roads of any slick oil residue that would have endangered other road users. Not that any of you should be travelling during the Restricted Movement Order. In any case, many of our highways have been shut off today.
The lorry drivers were injured but member of the public were able to pull him out of the wreckage before the rescue team arrived. He was sent to a hospital in an ambulance. The 50 year old tanker lorry driver was uninjured in the accident.
Here’s why palm oil tankers are still allowed to move under the RMO.
Statement from FELDA
The Felda management, through the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, appealed to the government for the palm oil industry and the commodity agriculture sector to be exempted from this order.
We are pleased to share that Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali indicated that the Cabinet had decided to grant the exemption to palm plantations.
This industry will therefore be allowed to commence operations, immediately. This decision will be subject to the respective organisations taking the required precautionary measures.
We wish to emphasise that failure to comply with the SOPs, terms and conditions may result in withdrawal of the exemption.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the minister and Cabinet for this decision. This clearly reflects the government’s concern towards and acknowledgement of the negative impact of the MCO on the industry.
