Appeal for bauxite mining to resume in Pahang

Pahang mineral operators have submitted a memorandum to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry urging the authorities to reactivate bauxite mining.

Pahang Mineral Operators Association vice-president Yap Soon Huat handed over the memorandum to the ministry's principal assistant secretary (Administration and Finance Division) Mohd Nazif Jamaludin in front of Parliament building in Pahang yesterday.

Yap said the association was appealing for bauxite mining to be resumed as soon as the moratorium expired on April 15.

"We hope the moratorium will not be extended as the bauxite mining operators have followed the standard operating procedure including matters related to pollution and cleanliness.

"The Minerals Department had audited our mining locations and was satisfied," said Yap, who was accompanied by about 300 mining operators and workers from Kuantan.

The government had imposed a three-month moratorium with effect from Jan 15 to address the problem of pollution caused by bauxite mining in Pahang. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said the moratorium would be extended if the bauxite industry failed to follow all the guidelines which involved the removal of bauxite reserves and creation of an integrated storage area and bauxite residue cleaning system.