Nik Nazmi rejects Sanusi’s claim Putrajaya stalling rare earth SOPs

 The natural resources and environmental sustainability minister says the guidelines were issued a long time ago to all states.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (left) said Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor was present during his ministry’s briefing with state governments on the rare earth SOPs.

PETALING JAYA:

 Natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has dismissed Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor’s claim that Putrajaya is deliberately delaying the release of SOPs for the mining of rare earth elements (REE) in states.

Nik Nazmi said Sanusi himself had attended a meeting at the ministry when the matter was raised.

“That’s not true (Sanusi’s claim). The SOPs were issued a long time ago to all states,” he told FMT. “He (Sanusi) was present at the meeting in the ministry.”

Asked when state governments could begin exploring REE deposits , Nik Nazmi said: “They can already start.”

It was reported earlier today that Sanusi had claimed Kedah was still waiting for the “official SOPs”, and implied that the delay may be due to REE deposits being concentrated in Perikatan Nasional-governed states like Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

He alleged that the government feared enriching the four PN-led states.

In 2023, it was reported that the minerals and geosciences department found 16.1 million tonnes of non-radioactive REE in Malaysia with a market value of RM809.6 billion.

The department had identified 29 areas with strategic potential for REE in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Sarawak, Selangor and Terengganu. - FMT