The operator of a manganese mine some 3km away from Tasik Chini in Pekan, Pahang hopes that the site can proceed.
Golden Prosperous Resources Sdn Bhd gave its commitment to rehabilitate the location after mining the area, which would otherwise be left abandoned as it was previously illegally mined by other parties.
"We applied for the mining lease in 2014 and received approval in 2018.
"It was found that there was an illegal mine operating there during the approval period and three ponds had been created on our site.
"If the state government does not allow the (legal) mine to continue, who will be responsible for rehabilitating the location left behind by the illegal mine which will involve a high cost," it said in a statement to Malaysiakini.
Malaysiakini had highlighted the planned mining operation on June 3 following an environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.
The mining concession is owned by the royalty-linked Hanishah Ventures Sdn Bhd which appointed Golden Prosperous Resources as the operator.
Hanishah Ventures is co-owned by Raja Shah Zurin Raja Aman Shah and Tengku Hanizar Tengku Muhammad.
Raja Shah Zurin is an actor and cousin of Kelantan ruler Sultan Muhammad V, while Tengku Hanizar is the aunt of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is also the Pahang ruler.
The EIA document listed Tengku Nong Fatimah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is the Agong's sister, as the contact person.
Subsequently, Pahang regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah visited the Tasik Chini area and asked for all mining activities there to stop.
He also called for a larger area to be gazetted as a forest reserve.
However, the initial area earmarked as a forest reserve since 2019 had yet to be gazetted due to ongoing mining activities.
Environmentalists have raised concern about the project over the possible risk of it polluting Tasik Chini.
'No dumping in Tasik Chini'
However, the company disputed the claim, saying that the lake area is situated on higher ground than its mining site at Lot 89798 and thus impossible for excess water from the mine to flow back into Tasik Chini.
"We also want to deny the allegation that the company would dump mining waste into the lake, because such action is not even economical. The distance from our mining site to Tasik Chini is 3km away, and it will only increase the overall project costs.
"Besides, mining companies are not allowed to dispose of wastes outside their project area, and the earth which had been dug would be reused to cover the mined area after the project is over.
"Our mining wastes will only be disposed of within the mining area, under the strict supervision of the Department of Environment," it added.
Tasik Chini, a rich bio-diversified lush tropical wilderness, is the second-largest natural lake in the country.
In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) declared the area, home to hundreds of species of flora, non-aquatic life, and freshwater fish, as one of its biosphere reserves.
According to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Tasik Chini Research Centre, the size of the natural lake area is about 202ha with 700ha of freshwater swamp and swamp forest in the surrounding areas.
Its research found that the location is rich in flora and fauna, with 51 species of low-land forest plants, 15 species of swamp plants, 25 species of aquatic plants and 87 species of freshwater fish.
Besides being a natural habitat with diverse flora and fauna, the centre said that it is also the main source of water and income for Orang Asli from the Jakun tribe. - Mkini
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