Illegal sand and gravel mining losing S’gor millions - MACC

The Selangor state government was believed to have suffered millions of ringgit losses each year due to the aggressive illegal sand and gravel mining activities undertaken by a mining company in Kajang since 2014.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sources said the agency was in the midst of investigating the case and had so far found that the mining company did not have any permit, but had been raking profit from the activities using tens of lorries daily.

“The MACC is now assessing the losses in terms of revenue failed to be collected by the state government and how the company managed to continue operating without being detected by the state government or local authorities,” the sources told Bernama.

Initial investigations also found that the company director, who is also a millionaire, was the mastermind behind the illegal mining activities.

“The company director also owns the entire mining area and efforts were being done to prosecute him,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, MACC’s senior director of investigation division, Simi Abdul Ghani, when contacted confirmed the investigation into the operations and the mining company.

He said thus far, four individuals have been detained and remanded for seven days beginning Wedndesday to assist in the investigations.

The MACC had also frozen several of the company’s bank accounts totalling RM4 million, believed to be part of the profits from the illegal mining activities.

- Bernama