Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh has expressed concern that the bauxite disaster in 2014 and 2015, which left large parts of the Pahang city blanketed in red dust, could repeat as mining is set to resume.
She said while an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been conducted with mitigation proposals, what is on paper does not always translate into reality.
She said enforcement has always been an issue and can fall short.
“I wouldn’t take it as what they (EIA) proposed (for mitigation), because we know we always have problems with the enforcement. How do we know this time will get better?
“Even if they promised this and promised that, we still have problems,” she told Malaysiakini.
Fuziah said past pollution incidents were often due to proposed mitigation measures falling short.
“Based on past experiences, they will put as much (bauxite ore in the truck as they can). If they fill it to the brim, even if you wash the wheels (as EIA proposed), it (bauxite ore) will still fall onto the road,” she said.
Fuziah recalled that in 2015, a Department of Environment report showed four Kuantan rivers were tainted with mercury due to mining but this was not publicised.
“They said they will monitor the water (of tailing retention ponds), (but) what if suddenly they noticed a rise and increase of heavy metals?
“How do we know that the people are going to be responsible and really be diligent to make sure the environment is not affected?” she asked.
The proposed mining site is in Bukit Goh, around 20km north of the Kuantan city centre.
Water treatment plants at risk
She pointed out that the Bukit Goh water treatment plant, which is located at Sungai Riau, is near the proposed mining site.
The local community will be directly impacted if effluents of the mining site flow into the rivers, she added.
The Semambu water treatment plant, which is located near Sungai Kuantan, is the main water intake for more than 700,000 residents in Kuantan.
Fuziah warned that bauxite mining activities upstream will pollute Kuantan’s drinking water source.
Conflict of interest
Fuziah criticised the state government-owned Pahang State Development Corporation (PKNP) for being the main driver of the mining project.
“PKNP (is part of the) state government, enforcement is also conducted by the state government. Of course, there is a conflict of interest,” she said.
Recalling the pollution incident that happened six years ago, Fuziah described it as “an environmental disaster” and “a nightmare” for the Kuantan people.
However, most Kuantan citizens are unaware of this new mining project, she said, as there are limited opportunities to explain the issue to the public, such as through town halls, during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.
“My concern is that there won’t be much protest because people are not aware and they don’t know what to do about it.
“How do we ensure there will not be another disaster despite everything that they promised?”
Malaysiakini earlier reported that the moratorium on bauxite mining in Kuantan has been lifted and a Pahang government-owned body will lead a new project.
The public viewing of the EIA report started on June 22 and will remain open until tomorrow (July 21).
Members of the public are encouraged to provide their feedback during this period.
Environmental group Save Malaysia Stop Lynas is also unhappy that the public is not well informed about the proposed mining project.
Its chairperson Tan Bun Teet said there was not enough time to scrutinise the project and provide feedback.
“Every Kuantan resident is a stakeholder, not just Bukit Goh residents,” he said.
Tan urged the Department of Environment (DOE) to extend the period of collecting public feedback.
A survey conducted for the project’s EIA found that 70 percent of respondents felt the project will not be beneficial and disapproved of it.
Tan also echoed Fuziah’s sentiment that a state government entity should not be involved in the mining project due to a conflict of interest with enforcement agencies.
He urged the DOE to think twice about approving the EIA. - Mkini
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