No more trees to be logged in rare earth areas, says Kedah MB

No more trees to be logged in rare earth areas, says Kedah MB

He refutes reports that the exploitation of rare earths would be used as an excuse to log forests in the state.

Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Nor said the rare earth extraction work would use a completely new technology, unlike that used in gold, tin or bauxite mining. (Bernama pic)
ALOR SETAR:
The Kedah government today denied an allegation by certain quarters that the discovery of the rare earth element (REE) in the state would be used as an excuse to engage in logging activities.

Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Nor said there were no more trees to be logged in the area where the rare earths had been found.

“All areas in Kedah that have logs have been approved (for logging) during the previous (Pakatan Harapan) government.

“In the Ulu Muda area alone, there are 22,000ha of land that are in the process of obtaining licences for logging.

“So there is no area and place for me to approve any more (logging),” he told a press conference here.

Sanusi said the rare earth extraction work would use a completely new technology, unlike those used in gold, tin or bauxite mining.

On Wednesday, he had announced that a local company based in Kuala Lumpur had been awarded an approval permit to explore and extract the mineral deposits, estimated at RM60 billion, in the state.

Earlier, Sanusi launched the state-level Kembara Prihatin Negara 2020 programme at Wisma Darul Aman. It was also attended by Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof.

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