Bauxite mining SOP not under Pahang govt

Although Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh has claimed that the bauxite mining standard operating procedure (SOP) falls under the Pahang government, checks have shown otherwise.

Sources from both the federal and state governments have clarified that the SOP is indeed under the jurisdiction of the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry.

A source from the ministry said the SOP was being handled on their end with input from the Pahang government and the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry as well.

Another source from the Pahang government confirmed the same, saying the SOP had yet to be finalised by the ministry, and to say that the state government was responsible for drafting it was totally wrong.

On Friday, Fuziah claimed that Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar's announcement that the moratorium would be lifted next month was actually subject to conditions.

She claimed the matter had been discussed in the Cabinet and the decision was that the moratorium would only be lifted provided the SOP was satisfactory.

However, Fuziah said the SOP was actually prepared by the Pahang government as mining, transportation, storage and export of the ore were all under its jurisdiction.