This is the 13^th exercise conducted, as part of bilateral initiative, to test emergency preparedness.

JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN NEA AND DOE (MALAYSIA)

Singapore, 26 July 2023 – The National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore and the Department of Environment (DOE), Malaysia, successfully conducted an emergency response exercise on tackling a chemical spill incident at the Tuas Second Link today.

2          As part of the bilateral cooperation programme under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE), the exercise serves to test the effectiveness of the chemical spill emergency response plan jointly developed by NEA and DOE to coordinate both countries’ emergency responses to transportation accidents involving hazardous chemicals on the Tuas Second Link. A total of 16 agencies and companies from both countries were involved in the exercise. Please refer to Annex A for more information on the MSJCE and the exercise participants.

3          NEA Chief Executive Officer Mr Wong Kang Jet reiterated the importance of the exercise, “This is the 13th bilateral exercise held under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment. I am glad that we resumed the bilateral exercise after COVID-19 and I am heartened at how well our agencies from both countries have worked together in its planning and smooth execution. This exercise is also a commitment by both countries to respond swiftly and effectively to any chemical spill incident at the Tuas Second Link and I look forward to future cooperation with our Malaysian counterparts in time to come." 

4          Department of Environment’s Director General , Mr. Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar in his statement said, “I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the cooperation of the agencies of both countries in making this exercise a success and it will continue in the future. This cooperation demonstrates preparedness in the face of any chemical spill incident that may occur in the future especially in Tuas Second Link.”

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ANNEX A

Information on the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE)

Background

            The Tuas Second Link was opened on 2 January 1998. As part of the bilateral co-operation programme, the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) agreed that road transportation of hazardous chemicals between the two countries should be restricted to the Tuas Second Link. This has ensured that road tankers and vehicles carrying hazardous chemicals do not pass through congested and populated areas in Johor Bahru and Woodlands/ Bukit Timah areas.

2          Hazardous chemicals are often moved between the two countries. The common chemicals transported between the two countries include sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. Considering the large amounts of chemicals transported via the Tuas Second Link, it is important to have in place response plans for any accidents or emergencies involving vehicles transporting hazardous chemicals.

3          Under the auspices of the MSJCE, the National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore, and the Department of Environment (DOE), Malaysia, jointly developed an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) to deal with accidents involving transportation of hazardous chemicals on the Tuas Second Link. The ERP comprises the following:

(a)        a notification procedure to alert the two countries early of any incident involving release of hazardous chemicals occurring on the Tuas Second Link; and

(b)        a response procedure to facilitate and co-ordinate emergency response actions by the agencies of both countries to control and mitigate any release of hazardous chemicals from incidents occurring on the Tuas Second Link.

4          The ERP will enable emergency response agencies of both Singapore and Malaysia to take quick and effective response actions to minimise the consequences of an accident involving hazardous chemicals at the Tuas Second Link. NEA and DOE regularly conduct joint field exercises to familiarise agencies from both countries with the ERP.

5          Previous exercise details are as follows:

Participating Agencies / Companies in the 13^th Malaysia-Singapore Joint Emergency Exercise for Chemical Spill

ANNEX B

Scenario for 13^th Malaysia-Singapore Joint Emergency Exercise for Chemical Spill at the Tuas Second Link

Scenario

On 26 July 2023, an accident involving a motorcycle and a car occurs in front of a lorry carrying 10 drums of hydrochloric acid while the vehicles are moving towards Singapore.

2          To avoid collision, the lorry driver loses control of his vehicle and collides with the left barrier wall of Tuas Second Link. Due to the impact, five drums of hydrochloric acid fall from the lorry and onto the road. Two drums roll over to Singapore’s part of the bridge and rupture. Three drums remain in Malaysia’s part of the bridge, where two rupture.

3          The lorry attendant and the motorcyclist suffer serious injury, while the car driver and the lorry driver sustain minor injury.

4          Figure 1 shows a pictorial representation of the incident.

Figure 1: Incident Layout