New logistics regulations set to keep a tab on Pahang's bauxite operations

Lorries designed specifically to ferry bauxite and new rules for the transfer of the aluminium ore onto ships and barges are among new regulations proposed to keep bauxite industry operations in check in Pahang. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the stringent new regulations were now being drafted.

“We want to better regulate the operations by coming out with standard operating procedures covering the mining, transportation and stockpiling of bauxite in Pahang,” he told reporters after attending the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s excellence award ceremony here yesterday.

Among the proposed regulations, Dr Wan Junaidi noted, was that bauxite mining companies use only lorries that are specifically designed and manufactured bauxite transportation. He said the implementation was being discussed with Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Also to be regulated, he added, was how bauxite was unloaded from the lorries at the port before being loaded onto ships and barges. He added that a location near the Kuantan port had been identified as a centralised bauxite stockpile area and was awaiting stategovernment's approval.

Dr Wan Junaidi updated, local authorities as well as the Urban Wellbeing and Housing and Local Government ministries and the Public Works Department had been asked to clean-up the roads turned untidy due to incessant bauxite transport to the Port area over the last one week or so. The roads would require urgent rapair-work as well. He added that the consortium managing Kuantan Port had also been requested to clean up the port area.