Pahang law enforcement agencies extend bauxite checkpoint operations

Pahang law enforcement agencies along with Pahang police will continue with operations on bauxite mining at nine checkpoints in line with the extension of the mining moratorium period.

State police chief Sharifuddin Ab Ghani said the checkpoints which operated 24 hours a day were to ensure that only lorries with bauxite from the existing storage facilities with export permit were allowed to go to the port.

"The checkpoint operations will also involve other law enforcement agencies such as the Land and Mines Department, Road Transport Department and the Land Public Transport Commission," he said when contacted in Kuantan on Monday this week.

Sharifuddin said the locations of the checkpoints were along the main route to the port, namely Bukit Kuantan, Tanjung Pasir, Kampung Padang, Taman Dato' Rashid, Shahpadu, in front of the SIRIM Office in Kuantan, Bukit Penggorak, Sungai Ular and Jabor.

The operations began on January 9, and Shariffuddin in a statement earlier said that all transport operators of the mineral adhered to the moratorium set by the federal government.

Last Friday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar informed that the cabinet had decided to extend the moratorium period which was to end on April 15, for another three months.

The extension of the period was to allow the bauxite stockpiles in three storage areas, namely Kuantan Port with 28.905 tonnes, outside Kuantan Port (1,318,463.43 tonnes) and in the mining areas (2,309,270 tonnes) to be cleared to make way for cleaning works.