Lame excuse, says Fuziah after minister laments difficult to trace bauxite miners

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh says tracing those responsible for the pollution from bauxite mining activities is not difficult. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 15, 2016.

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh today said Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan had given "a lame excuse" in saying it would not be easy to identify companies involved in bauxite mining.

"I think he is giving a very lame excuse. A Cabinet minister, with all his resources, to answer in such manner, is failing the rakyat," she said

"Even my volunteers can get the list (of firms) for me."

Rahman, who is also the local government, housing and urban well-being minister, told Malay daily Utusan Malaysia that although the cleaning bill would be sent to the companies involved in bauxite mining activities, identifying them would not be easy.

He said this was because many used illegally registered lorries.

"We still do not know how much the restoration process will cost us as it’s still in the early stage," Rahman was quoted as saying.

To this, Fuziah said such a list could also be obtained from the committee formed to guard the residents' welfare.

"These miners are those that have entered into agreements with the (Felda) settlers at some stage," she said.

She added that the 44 companies awarded approved permits (AP) to carry out mining activities should also be held accountable.

"The 44 were the list of miners and exporters. They were those who did not pay the export duty. As for the lorries, they all have a deal with the miners one way or another."

She said the names of the 44 companies could be easily obtained as they were public knowledge.

"I even provided the list during Parliament session last year," she said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak instructed Rahman's ministry to clean up the areas affected by bauxite mining in Kuantan.

The decision was criticised by the anti-bauxite coalition who wanted Najib to withdraw his instruction.

The group leader, Fuziah, said the people’s money should not be used to clean up the bauxite mess and Najib should have instructed the companies that profited from the mining activities to carry out the clean-up work.

- TMI