Kudat residents: Sand mining ongoing despite govt saying approval pending

 

Residents living around the sand mining and processing facility in Sikuati, Kudat - about 190km northeast of Kota Kinabalu - say they have not been engaged and are in the dark over any environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for the project.

They said the mining has been conducted since June, despite the residents not being consulted, raising suspicion that the project is running without an EIA approval, breaching Sabah’s Environment Protection Enactment 2002.

The residents said they asked for a copy of the EIA report from the Sabah Environment Protection Department director on Sept 6 but have yet to receive a reply.

Under the law, local residents must be consulted in the EIA process, while the report must be approved by the Environment Protection Department before the project can proceed.

The residents said various complaints have been lodged to the authorities, including to the Chief Minister's Office last month, to no avail.

Complaints have also been sent to the Sabah ministers for industrial development as well as local council and housing. They have also raised their grouses with the Department of Environment Protection and Sabah National Parks, they said.

“Explanations given by various parties on the impact of this project have been insufficient and we, the residents, do not know the real impact of this operation,” said the residents’ representative Mohd Hafiz Abdullah in a statement.

“As such, we believe the sand mining project must be halted and the company instructed to vacate the villages until all negotiations and dialogue with local residents are done on the principles of consent, early consultation, independence, and transparency.”

Mohd Hafiz represents residents of Kampung Bangau, Kampung Andab Bangau, Kampung Andab Jawa, Kampung Kimihang, and Kampung Longgom Kecil, all located within a 2km radius of the mining.

Minister: EIA still pending approval

On Wendesday (Sept 21), Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Jafry Ariffin said an EIA report has been submitted for the Environment Protection Department’s approval.

He said the report, submitted on June 22, states that there is a sufficient buffer zone between the beach and the project site, which addresses residents’ concerns that the project may affect their livelihoods.

Even though residents say the project has been going on since June, Jafry said the approval for the EIA is still pending.

“The final approval of the EIA report will only be issued after the project proponent agrees to all the environmental conditions that have been stipulated,” he was quoted by Malay Mail as saying. - Mkini