DOE rejects Kuantan's bauxite mining project

The Department of Environment (DOE) has rejected an application by a Pahang government-owned body to carry out a bauxite mining project in Kuantan.

According to an update on the department's environmental impact assessment (EIA) website, the status of the proposed mining operation’s report read “rejected”.

The EIA report was prepared by KenEp Consultancy And Services while BG Mining Sdn Bhd was appointed as the mining operator.

The Pahang State Development Corporation (PKNP) was the lead agency for the proposed project while its subsidiary PKNP Mineral Industries Sdn Bhd was the trustee holder to coordinate the operation.

A DOE official has confirmed that the department rejected the EIA report on Oct 11.

He told Malaysiakini the report did not fulfil requirements under Section 34A(2C) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

Section 34A (2) of the act states that an EIA report “shall contain an assessment of the impact such activity will have or is likely to have on the environment” and “proposed measures that shall be undertaken to prevent, reduce or control the adverse impact on the environment”.

Pollution of rivers and drinking water sources

Kuantan's bauxite mining rush began in 2014 when the high demand for bauxite led to unregulated mining operators carrying out activities in Bukit Goh and the surrounding area.

In 2016, the federal and Pahang state governments jointly announced a moratorium to stop all bauxite mining activities in Kuantan due to severe environmental issues. A new standard operating procedure was put in place in April 2019.  

On July 16, Malaysiakini reported that PKNP planned to carry out new bauxite mining operations in Bukit Goh and Bukit Kuantan, some 20km from Kuantan. 

The EIA report of the proposed project warned that there are three major concerns regarding the proposed mining plan, namely the pollution of rivers and drinking water sources, the loss of fauna and their habitats and the pollution of local living conditions.

Before the federal government intervened in the illegal mining activities, the Pahang government encountered difficulties in enforcement and there were also allegations of corruption.

There was a further concern of “conflict of interest” on the proposed mining plan since the state government itself would be the main driver of the project. - Mkini