Environment Ministry re-issues APs for bauxite mining in Pahang

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has approved the re-issuance of Approved Permits (AP) for bauxite-mining near Kuanatan area in Pahang. Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the APs to be given back to the mining sites were to enable the relocation of the 70,000 metric tonnes of bauxite to other areas.

He said the process to release the licence will be done by the Chief Secretary to the Government today, and they hope that the relocation could be done by tomorrow latest. “I had ordered the issuance of the APs yesterday. This is to enable them to export the bauxite to other areas for clearing purposes. We do not want them to throw the bauxite into the river and pollute the water. The Chief Secretary to the Government will process it by today and hopefully the relocation would be done by tomorrow,” said Dr Wan Junaidi.

Wan Junaidi said there was also lukewarm response in the process to clear bauxite at the sites. The ministry, he said, will organise another moratorium if the clearing does not meet the period of time given.

Bauxite clean-up to end by early February

The bauxite waste clean-up in Kuantan, Pahang is expected to be completed by early February, said Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Noor Ibrahim. He said to date, 30% of the areas polluted with bauxite waste had been cleaned. "We have succeeded in washing about 5% of the area daily and the entire task is expected to be over by early next month," Wan Mohd Noor Ibrahim was reported saying after opening the PLC Group's Emergency Control Centre today.

Meanwhile, he said standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be established to ensure the affected areas would not be polluted by bauxite waste after the clean-up was completed. "If bauxite mining areas are to start operations again after this, SOPs should be in place so that the areas will be free from bauxite pollution," he said.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Morni Mamat was reported as saying that a 30km stretch from Jalan Pintasan in Kuantan to the port had been cleaned of bauxite waste in a week. He said the route covered Kampung Padang in Bukit Goh to the Gebeng Industrial area.