By SIM LEOI LEOI, RAZAK AHMAD and REMAR NORDIN

Sungai Tukang Batu runs partly under a highway in Johor's industrial area of Pasir Gudang, then disappears into a port.

Of the 477 rivers monitored by the Department of Environment (DoE), Sungai Tukang Batu is the only one with a Class 5 (see related story in The Star Online).

The DoE has five classifications of rivers, with Class 1 being the cleanest. A Class 5 river means that its water is so polluted, it is not suited for use as either a water supply or even for irrigation.

The smell of Sungai Tukang Batu is overwhelming - the chemical fumes that emanates from the river is so strong that despite wearing a face mask, our reporter can’t stand the odour.

So, what is it like living so near Sungai Tukang Batu?

An Orang Asli community located about 500m across the river speaks to The Star about it.

The village head (tok batin) of the Orang Asli village of Kampung Pasir Putih, Entel Burok, 72, and resident Awie Gudang, 37, explains about the pollution they have had to put up with daily.

However, Sungai Tukang Batu isn’t the only highly polluted river in Pasir Gudang. Another very polluted river in Pasir Gudang is Sungai Buluh.