PUTRAJAYA: The moratorium on bauxite-mining in Pahang will be extended for another two months until Sept 15.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the moratorium, which was supposed to end on July 15, needs to be extended to give more time to the stakeholders to clear their remaining stockpiles.
"The Cabinet yesterday agreed with our proposal to extend the moratorium period for the second time for another two months, which is until Sept 15.
"We want all the bauxite that has been extracted to be exported from the country so that relevant parties can clean the stockpiling areas," he told a special press conference at the ministry here today.
Wan Junaidi said the bauxite stockpile outside the Kuantan Port, in several areas in Kuantan and Bukit Goh should be cleared by Sept 14 to avoid environmental pollution.
"The industry players must cooperate by ensuring that all stockpiles outside the Kuantan Port are exported before the moratorium comes to an end."
The ministry, he said, would continue recommending to the government to extend the moratorium on bauxite-mining until all stockpiles in Kuantan are cleared.
"It is estimated that there are about 5.4 million tonnes of bauxite stockpile outside of the (Kuantan) port, including 1.3 million tonnes in Gebeng, 2.3 million tonnes in the mining area, and 1.8 million tonnes in Felda.
"In a bid to facilitate the process of transferring out the bauxite mineral, the ministry has issued 25 Approval Permits (AP) with a limit of (exporting) 2.46 million tonnes.
"However, as of June 1 (from Apr 15), only 187,438 tonnes had been exported, when in fact the bauxite export capacity at Kuantan Port and Kemamam are 1.5 million tonnes a month and 700,000 tonnes a month, respectively."
Wan Junaidi said the ministry and Pahang state government had agreed to work together to ease the export process of all bauxite stockpile.
Imposed on Jan 15 this year, the three-month moratorium called for a halt to bauxite-mining activities to address industry concerns such as pollution, the lack of regulations as well as excessive extraction by operators.
The current moratorium is due to end on July 15. It was extended from the first moratorium that was supposed to end on Apr 15.