
Malaysia health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad reported that his ministry is constantly monitoring the health of residents who live around bauxite-mining areas near Kuantan. He said the monitoring is carried out by obtaining regular health reports from various health and medical facilities in the area.

“We monitor through case statistics, such as respiratory infections in clinics. We check whether there has been a significant increase in the problem. We also monitor the quality of fresh water and fruits, looking for traces of heavy metals in them,” Dzulkefly Ahmad told a media conference at the ministry.
He continued, “We want to ensure that the people do not suffer as a result of bauxite-mining activities,” while adding that the matter was also brought up at the Cabinet meeting.
All activities in the bauxite mining and export of the mineral are expected to resume soon at Kuantan, Pahang, as the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar announced on Monday that the ban on bauxite mining and exports would not be extended beyond March 31.
However, this time there will be new standard operating procedures and tighter law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said she had her reservations on that matter. She explicitly said “Bauxite contains heavy metals. When processed, the water will enter the nearby rivers,” which according to her may cause health implications to locals.
She also asked the government to immediately showcase the new standard operating procedures for bauxite mining before the moratorium expires on March 31.
Fuziah also raised concerns over the significant weaknesses, especially in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report at the mining sites. She said only one report was available despite 3,642 hectares of mining areas in the state.
An EIA report is required for each mining site as each one was different, with different housing, water catchment, and forest areas, she added.
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