WAN JUNAIDI: ONLY SAND FROM PAHANG, KELANTAN CAN BE SOLD
KUALA LUMPUR: The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry only allows sand dredged from Sungai Pahang and Sungai Kelantan to be exported.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said while the ban on sand export was still in effect, the ministry had issued special Approved Permits (APs) for sand to be dredged from the two rivers to be sent to India.
He said the government gave APs to two companies to extract sand from the rivers in Pahang and Kelantan, and they had exported 50,000 tonnes of sand to Tamil Nadu, India.
“They are negotiating with the authorities in Karnataka (to export sand there),” he said in a statement yesterday.
On a report in The Straits Times that an Indian trading company in Tamil Nadu was advertising the sale of sand said to be Malaysian river sand from Sitiawan, Perak, Wan Junaidi said he needed to verify the information.
“If it is true, then we will lodge reports with the police, Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency and navy for further action.”
Wan Junaidi, in a statement earlier, made no mention of Perak as one of the states permitted to export sand.
His statement was in response to reports that the first-ever shipment of Malaysian sand to Tamil Nadu had arrived at the port in Thoothukudi last week. Reports said the cost of the imported sand was cheaper than that supplied by sand quarries in Tamil Nadu.
Citing private sector sources, the Times of India (TOI) reported that a private firm based in Pudukottai had imported the consignment comprising 55,000 tonnes of sand.
It said the cost of the imported sand was estimated at 60 rupees (RM4) per cubic feet, compared with river sand sourced in Tamil Nadu that could be sold between 110 rupees and 120 rupees.
The report said local builders hailed the landmark shipment as it raised hopes for city developers to overcome local shortage of river sand for construction.
Builders said it would reduce sand rates.
The TOI report quoted S. Ramaprabhu, honorary secretary of the Builders Association of India, Southern Centre, Chennai, as saying that the import had boosted developers’ efforts in importing river sand from Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia and Cambodia.
He said the Tamil Nadu government should facilitate the initiative as it would reduce dependence and environmental exploitation of the state’s riverbeds.
The newspaper had reported last month that the Kerala government also agreed to import sand from Malaysia to meet construction supply shortages and address environmental implications of river sand mining there.
On Aug 9, Wan Junaidi was reported as saying that Putrajaya had yet to grant approval for any company in the country to export sand to India.
“Any country can say they are going to import sand from Malaysia. As far as I know, we are not going to export sand to India,” he had said.
However, in his statement yesterday, Wan Junaidi said the cabinet had given special approvals for sand to be exported to prevent flooding caused by excessive piles of sand in some rivers.
“We are exporting our sand not
solely because we want to sell it to other countries.
“It is to remove excess sand from estuaries that have caused rivers to become shallow.
“If the sand is not extracted, it could cause major floods. This has happened near rivers in Pahang and Kelantan.”
He said by issuing the APs, the government saved “hundreds of millions of ringgit” that it would have spent to widen and deepen rivers.
“I assure you that we will not hesitate to cancel APs if the companies violate any laws.”
He said the Irrigation and Drainage Department and Department of Environment had been directed to monitor sanddredging activities to ensure there was no negative impact on the environment.