BAUXITE BAN CAUSED TOUGH TIMES
Felda settlers hope there will be no setbacks once mining resumes in April
SOME earned meagre incomes doing odd jobs while others depended on their working children. There were also those who were thinking of selling their land titles. These were issues faced by Felda settlers from Bukit Goh and Bukit Kuantan here after the government imposed a moratorium on bauxite mining on Jan 15, 2016.
Sungai Lembing assemblyman Datuk Md Sohaimi Mohamed Shah said settlers now hoped there would be no further setbacks after the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry announced the lifting of the moratorium and that mining would resume in April.
He said settlers had gone through difficult times since the moratorium as they could no longer work on their plantations, which had been cleared for mining purposes.
“There were some who became millionaires from mining.
“However, among the 280 settlers in Bukit Goh who signed contracts, 200 of them had their land mined midway, 50 settlers had oil palm trees cleared but mining never took off, while 30 settlers are waiting for mining to start.
“The settlers are left in uncertainty.
“Some earned little since they can no longer sell the oil palm fruits.
“Some depended on their children for support, and lately, I hear that some are considering selling or leasing their land titles.
“The price of oil palm fruits has dropped and things are getting worse.
“Therefore, the announcement on bauxite mining is a lifeline,” he said at his service centre here.
Sohaimi said a study conducted by YP Mining Sdn Bhd showed that bauxite minerals, which have yet to be dug and collected at stockpiles here, amounted to 18.5 million metric tonnes worth about RM2.59 billion.
“The study showed it would require between five and eight years to clear the minerals, which could earn the state government RM259 million in royalties.
“The bauxite waste, or ‘red mud’, can be used to make hard bricks, ceramic stone and cement, which can contribute another RM20 million.
“Felda is supposed to replant the oil palm trees next year, but it will not be able to work according to schedule if mining is not completed.
“Felda will have to wait until the mines are covered with earth before it can start the replanting, which will be done simultaneously on all the plots.”
He proposed that Pahang State Development Corporation (PKNP), which was previously appointed as the lead agency to handle issues related to bauxite mining, and YP Mining, which had conducted research on mining work, be appointed as independent bodies to monitor bauxite mining when it resumes.
He said the ministry would have received the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on bauxite mining in the district before giving the green light for mining to resume.
“I am sure the ministry would have gone through the EIA report before making the announcement last week.
“However, the ministry has promised to introduce stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs), so we hope there will be no repeat of pollution cases.
“We will meet the menteri besar (Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail) to propose suggestions on bauxite mining in Bukit Goh to ensure everthing goes smoothly and I will also attend the dialogue session organised by the ministry.”
On Feb 18, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar announced that the moratorium, which ends on March 31, would not be extended and mining can resume in April with a new SOP and tighter enforcement
Since then, various quarters, including environmentalists, consumer rights groups and representatives have criticised the move, saying many were in the dark over the new SOP and measures to be implemented by the ministry.
The settlers are left in uncertainty. Some earned little since they can no longer sell oil palm fruits. Some depended on their children for support, and lately, I hear that some are considering selling or leasing their land titles. The price of oil palm fruits has dropped and things are getting worse. DATUK MD SOHAIMI MOHAMED SHAH Sungai Lembing assemblyman