Fuziah urges people to attend discussion session next month on bauxite mining SOP

Kuantan lawmaker Fuziah Salleh has reportedly urged the public to attend a dialogue session on bauxite mining standard operating procedure (SOP) on April 14. She said the public must attend the programme to meet, discuss, and voice out their opinion and concern on the matter to officials from the Water, Land, and Natural Resources Ministry and other stakeholders.

“They (public) will be able to ask questions and get immediate feedback at the session. They can seek further information on various aspects including the SOP for the pre-mining to post-mining stage,” she said in a WhatsApp message today.

Yesterday, the Resources Minister Dr. Xavier Jayakumar had made an announcement about the public hearing, which will be held on April 14 with all stakeholders including non-governmental organisations related to the environment, local people, and the general public.

The finalised SOPs would be made available on his ministry’s website for public viewing beginning March 31.

Fuziah said she welcomed Xavier’s announcement that the bauxite miners will be allowed to resume mining related operations only when they are ready to implement and enforce the SOPs.

“I hope this will provide some relief to the people here who have raised concern about plans to allow bauxite mining to resume in April,” she added.