Sanusi visited mining site, claims Saifuddin

 

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail claimed caretaker Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor was aware of the alleged REE theft in Kedah but did not act against it.

PETALING JAYA: Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail claims to have pictures of Sanusi Nor, who was then the Kedah menteri besar, visiting a mining site where rare earth elements (REE) were allegedly being extracted.

According to Sinar Harian, Saifuddin produced the pictures during a press conference in Kubang Pasu, Kedah, claiming they were taken on Feb 19 in the Bukit Enggang forest reserve in Sik.

The minister claimed that this proved Sanusi was aware of the alleged REE theft in Kedah but did not act against it.

“The menteri besar saw for himself how the surrounding area was destroyed, and how intensive mining was being conducted in the area. He did not take any serious action after his visit to the location,” Saifuddin said at the press conference which was held in Pakatan Harapan’s election operations room in Jitra.

Saifuddin, who is also PKR secretary-general, reiterated that he did not fear Sanusi’s threat of a lawsuit over his allegations.

Earlier this week, Saifuddin produced a photograph of Sanusi with a man he identified as So Loi Fat, who he claimed was one of two skilled workers brought in by Kedah Menteri Besar Incorporated (Kedah MBI) to mine REE.

Saifuddin also produced a letter purportedly signed by Kedah MBI CEO Sobri Osman which named two Chinese nationals, including So.

In response, Sanusi said the Chinese national had dealings with Kedah MBI and an agreement to extract REE before he took office.

The Perikatan Nasional election director then claimed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim once introduced an Indonesian tycoon, identified as Riza Chalid, to the prospect of mining REE in Kedah.

He said Anwar and the tycoon had visited Kedah a few weeks before the state assembly was dissolved. - FMT