“These companies have broken the law by conducting illegal mining activities,” she said in a statement today.
She was responding to the revelation by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that illegal bauxite mining activities were obviously still taking place in Pahang as existing bauxite stockpiles have not shown any significant decline.
Wan Junaidi also said the Cabinet would discuss today whether to extend the three-month moratorium ending on Dec 31. The moratorium was previously imposed to clear existing bauxite stockpiles in Pahang.
Fuziah said the Cabinet meeting today must decide how to clear existing stockpiles without involving mining companies.
“Maybe civil society groups who want to see the stockpiles cleared can be included in the process.”
While welcoming Wan Junaidi’s stand, Fuziah said more should be done by the government, as imposing moratoriums alone had not been able to solve the issue once and for all.
She said the Cabinet must come up with ways to rehabilitate mining spots located close to water treatment plants and populated residential areas.
“Erosions from former mining spots and existing stockpiles will pollute rivers and subsequently the drinking water for Kuantan residents.
“There is also a risk of mudslides, which was pointed out by the Pahang state government earlier.”
Fuziah warned that the failure of the Cabinet to address this issue will bring about long-term health effects on the people of Kuantan.
Last year, rampant bauxite mining led to public outrage in Kuantan, triggering fear of irreversible environmental pollution in Pahang.
The largely unregulated bauxite industry had boomed over the past two years due to China’s growing demand to fill a supply gap after Indonesia banned its bauxite exports.