In a written parliamentary reply, natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad claimed that in developing the new plantation without an EIA, the company, AA Sawit Sdn Bhd, breached the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

He said the ministry has issued a stop-work order to AA Sawit for the development of the plantation in Endau.

“The environment department will also open an investigation under Section 34A(6) of the Environmental Quality Act for carrying out activities without an approved EIA,” he said in response to a query from Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya) on the new plantation.

Nik Nazmi said AA Sawit is also required to carry out remedial works to prevent siltation which could contaminate nearby rivers.

Last July, the environmental portal Macaranga ran a report alleging AA Sawit had developed a new plantation without submitting an EIA.

It said satellite images showed that between 2020 and 2021, more than 600ha of forests had been cleared.

According to the report, AA Sawit only submitted an EIA last year.