RAUB: The Pahang government will not hesitate to stop bauxite and ire ore mining activities in the state if no solution is found to address pollution along the roads leading to Kuantan Port and Gebeng industrial area.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the state government viewed the matter seriously as it not only affected local residents, but also the state’s tourism industry.
“If there is no solution to the (pollution) problem, we will stop the mining activities,” he told reporters after presenting land titles to 179 Felda Krau 1 settlers here today.
He was referring to complaints by a group of tourists from China who arrived on a vessel, Beibu Wan Zhi Xing, at Kuantan Port on the dirty condition of the port.
Early this month, the state government had met with 106 bauxite and ire ore operators in a move to resolve the pollution problem due to their mining activities.
Following, several measures were taken, including not allowing lorries transporting the ore to use normal roads, except Jalan Gebeng-Bypass, to the port.
The operators were also given two months to clear seven areas used to store the bauxite, and according to Adnan, the state government had allocated a new area, covering 242 hectares, in Gebeng for the purpose.
Earlier in his speech, Adnan advised the Felda settlers to not sell their land to avoid problems in future. -- Bernama