The government has instructed the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to take immediate action in overcoming the Penang river pollution issue.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said relevant agencies should world together in solving the problem and prevent it from happening again.

Tests on water samples at Sungai Batu Ferringhi by the Department of Environment (DOE) last Monday found it contained traces of the Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria.

Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) including the state government had been blamed for the contamination but on Friday the national sewage company vehemently denied it was responsible for the problem.

Reports have surfaced that the pollution was caused by discharged from its sewage plant in the vicinity.

IWK senior manager (communication division) Shahrul Nizam Sulaiman said the company always monitored the plant and released sewage water, in line with the standards set by the DOE.