‘NO EXTENSION OF MORATORIUM ON BAUXITE MINING’
Mining and export activities can be resumed under new SOP, says minister
THE moratorium on the mining and export of bauxite from Pahang, which ends on March 31, will not be extended. Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said this meant all mining and export activities could be resumed.
However, he said there would be a new standard operating procedure (SOP) and tighter enforcement of the law.
“The moratorium will not be extended after March 31.
“I see that there is a strong demand for the bauxite industry in Pahang and the profit derived by the state is also enormous.
“In 2015 alone, the state government earned a revenue of RM47 million from the payment of royalty.
“However, only bauxite minerals that have been processed will be allowed for export,” he said after visiting several bauxite mining sites and the Kuantan Port here yesterday.
He said the remaining 435,000 tonnes of bauxite stockpiles in Kuantan Port and Kemaman Port must be cleared before March 31.
Xavier said the new SOP on bauxite mining, stockpile management and exportation had already been prepared by a task force and agreed by the cabinet last week.
He said the problems that had drawn attention previously were transportation and poor enforcement, to the extent that it had caused environmental pollution that led to the implementation of the moratorium on Jan 15, 2016.
He said to resolve the problem, every miner involved must register with the State Land and Mines Office and only certain types of lorries would be allowed to transport the mineral from the storage area to the port.
“If the SOP is successfully implemented, we will expand its implementation to the other states that also had bauxite, namely, Terengganu and Johor.
“So far, Terengganu has shown interest (to export bauxite) but the ministry will first discuss with the state government on how to promote the industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, bauxite mining operators and stakeholders were all smiles yesterday following the lifting of the moratorium.
Some of the operators were seen anxiously waiting at the Kuantan Port office here for Xavier as the minister inspected several mining sites in the state capital and the stockpile in Kuantan Port before arriving at the building about noon.
Bukit Goh Bauxite Issues Committee chairman Datuk Dr Abd Wahid Abd Manap said the decision to lift the moratorium was a huge relief to all those involved in the mining industry as they had been waiting for the decision for more than three years.
He said the settlers in Felda Bukit Goh who had leased their lands for mining activities and had abandoned their mines halfway when the moratorium was imposed, can now look forward to a more promising time.
“Everyone has been waiting for this good news.
“We hope once the moratorium is lifted, the mining operators will resume mining works on lands that have been abandoned.
“After what happened in the past, I am sure the ministry will monitor the mining activities in Pahang closely and operators will have to adhere to the new SOPs,” he said.
Another industry player, Lee Teck, 46, described the news as music to the ears of lorry and excavator drivers, who could be rehired soon.
He said lorry drivers would have to wait for further announcement on the types of lorries allowed to transport the bauxite ores to Kuantan Port.
However, Felda Bukit Goh Village Development and Security Committee chairman Mat Zahari Deraman said he hoped the resumption of bauxite mining activity would not shatter the “peace” of the villagers.
“We hope there will be no bauxite dust pollution and roads occupied by lorries transporting the ores.
“We have experienced it in the past and we do not want a repeat of similar incidents,” he said.