The PKR legislator said the latest extension of the moratorium on the grounds of wanting to clear existing stockpiles merely corroborates concerns that mining is still taking place illegally.
She said the move also suggests attempts to legalise the projects to enable them to continue with formal authorisation in the future.
Fuziah added that in announcing the moratorium’s extension from June 30 to Dec 31, National Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had yesterday declared the volume of bauxite exported from the Kuantan Port up till June 8 to be 5.8 million metric tonnes.
However, there were 5.4 million tonnes of bauxite stockpiles recorded in November 2015, she said. The moratorium was implemented a short while later on Jan 15, 2016.
Fuziah said this raised suspicions that mining was going on even after the moratorium was imposed.
“This shows that there have been additions to the stockpiles after the moratorium was first announced. It means that there have been illegal bauxite excavations taking place,” she said in a statement today.
She said the extension may also serve to facilitate illegal mining works during the remaining moratorium period, and even enable them to become more widespread.
She said there were genuine concerns that the activities, if allowed to continue, would contribute to pollution of the air and rivers, affecting Kuantan residents whose lives had already been adversely impacted by these problems.
“I urge that export permits for bauxite be frozen, in addition to the moratorium which is in place, until the masterminds of the illegal mining works are identified and curbed,” she said.
“Then only should the stockpiles be cleared.
“If the export permits are not frozen, the problem will only go on with no end in sight.”
Wan Junaidi announced the moratorium on Jan 15 last year following a public outcry over the extensive environmental pollution caused by the mining and transportation of the ore by road to Kuantan Port for export.
He said the suspension of mining was to enable the entrepreneurs concerned to clear bauxite stockpiles and mitigate pollution in the supply chain from the mines to the shippers.
The moratorium was extended several times with the latest due to expire today.
On June 26, Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob said the moratorium in Kuantan would be extended until the next general election.
However, in his statement yesterday, Wan Junaidi said the ministry and the Pahang government had agreed to extend the moratorium for six months more until Dec 31.
Fuziah said the state’s assertion that there would be no mining allowed till the upcoming 14th general election (GE14) appeared intended to gain favour from the public.