Pahang MB denies claims of illegal rare earth mining in Lipis

 

Menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail has denied a statement made in Parliament about mining of rare earths in the state, stating that Pahang had been very strict in its enforcement of the ban. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Pahang government has strongly denied claims that rare earth oxides have been illegally mined in Lipis and exported to China.

Menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail was commenting on natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad’s reply to a supplementary question by Ipoh Timur MP Howard Lee in Parliament yesterday.

Nik Nazmi had said 16,000 tonnes of rare earth oxide exported overseas came from illegal mining operations located in forest reserves in Sik, Kedah; Lipis, Pahang; and Pengkalan Hulu and Kuala Kangsar in Perak.

He added that two other mines were located on private land in the Meranti and Jelebu districts of Negeri Sembilan.

Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

Wan Rosdy said recent checks found no rare earth mining activities in Lipis.

He said on March 20 last year state authorities had found evidence of an attempt at mining rare earths, based on the equipment found.

“However, no production activity was detected and all the equipment were seized by the authorities,” Bernama reported him as saying.

Wan Rosdy said the state enforcement unit, police and the west Pahang zone forestry department’s enforcement team had conducted regular monitoring in the state’s western region from May 3 last year to Feb 15 this year. No rare earth mining activities were detected, he added.

“The statement made yesterday (in Parliament) has affected Pahang’s good name, especially since the state government had been very strict over the past five years in enforcement against illegal land encroachments,” he said. - FMT