Pahang MB: Bauxite mining still a problem despite moratorium

PAHANG DUN | The Pahang government still faces various problems relating to bauxite mining, despite the federal government having imposed a moratorium on the activity, Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob told the State Assembly today.

Adnan (photo) said the problems included failure of bauxite mining operators to comply with the time for them to carry out their activities within the stipulated period, from 8am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm.

"There are also stockpile operators who mine and transport bauxite even though they are issued the approval permits (APs) by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

"There are also more special AP issued than the quantity of bauxite available," he said in reply to  Fong Koong Fuee (BN-Cheka) who wanted to know the status of unresolved issues on bauxite mining since the moratorium was issued Jan 15, last year.

He said from monitoring carried out by the Pahang Land and Mines Department, bauxite mining activities only stopped with the MACC seized of 10 million metric tonnes of bauxite last August.

- Bernama