Pahang govt steps up efforts on bauxite de-stocking and transport

Government of Malaysia is keeping tabs on the limit of bauxite stored at the Kuantan Port to avoid any additional amount of stockpile in the area. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said they have not received any report of more bauxite there than the stockpile limit.

“We will not allow any additional stockpile and we will monitor it closely,” he said recently after attending the Bentong MCA Chinese New Year Open House.

It has been reported that only Pakamatic (Paka) type of lorries, or municipal rubbish compactor lorries, may be used to carry bauxite ore after April when the three-month moratorium on bauxite mining ends. Liow Tiong Lai said the rule was one of the bauxite transport guidelines by the ministry in order to avoid pollution problems from spillage.

“We have already given clear guidelines to the lorry drivers that only Paka type lorries will be allowed to transport bauxite ore. This is because this type of lorries can transport bauxite without spilling it on the road like the usual lorries used previously,” he said. The lorries will only be allowed to run on a specific route to the stockpiling centre, to be determined soon.

“We have asked the Kuantan Port authorities to limit the bauxite amount stored in the port area. For example, if it can only accommodate 1.5 million tonnes, they can only receive that much. We have asked the Kuantan Port authorities to limit the bauxite amount stored in the port area. For example, if it can only accommodate 1.5 million tonnes, they can only receive that much” he added.

The government has also been reported to be reviewing the granting of approved permits (APs) to ensure that the remaining 2.4 million tonnes of bauxite left at the Kemaman Port can be sent to China before the expiry of the moratorium on April 14.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said yesterday, the month-long period given to the operators to unload the remaining bauxite stored at the Kuantan Port had elapsed, as the Chinese New Year holidays had affected its progress.

Bauxite is the main source of aluminium and Malaysia is now the world’s top producer, accounting for nearly half of the supply to China’s massive aluminium industry, the BBC has reported. Annual output of bauxite ore increased from a little over 200,000 tonnes in 2013, to nearly 20 million tonnes last year.

The effects of open strip mining on former plantation land, and the environmental pollution, has caused a public outcry.

Liow, who is MP for Bentong, said the restrictions were to ensure that the port and the surrounding areas are not polluted with bauxite happened in the past few months.