Public hearing on all aspects of bauxite mining

The Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry will hold a public hearing session and engagement to improve the standard operation procedure (SOP) of the management of mines and exporting of bauxite in Pahang.

The ministry said in a statement today that the engagement process would be held before March 31 and would take into account the interest of the people and NGOs concerned with the environment.

According to the statement, the SOP encompassed all aspects including mining planning, bauxite mining, site management, transport and enforcement, management of stockpile site and harbour and bauxite export procedure.

‘’The members of the public will have access and scrutiny of the SOP on a date to be announced later,’’ it said.

The ministry said the engagement session would be held following the cabinet decision on Feb 18 that the moratorium on the mining activity and the export of bauxite from Pahang would end on March 31.

Subsequently, all mining and exporting activities pertaining to the mineral could continue but this time with a new SOP and stricter law enforcement.

The ministry said it was committed to ensuring that all the grouses of the people, especially those who were directly affected by the bauxite mining activities, were heard.

- Benama