KUANTAN: Disused bauxite mines in Felda Bukit Goh and Tanah Rancangan Pemuda (RTP) Bukit Goh here are potential death traps for children who play near the pits during the ongoing monsoon season.
Paya Besar Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Manan Ismail, who expressed his concern over the abandoned mining pits, said both settlements are littered with mining ponds following the moratorium on bauxite mining on Jan 15 last year.
"The mining operators were previously ordered to refill the ponds with earth and seal off the area, but sadly, most of the pits are yet to be filled-in and only trap water during the monsoon season.
“We do not know the depth of the pits, so it is best to stay away from the area," Manan told reporters after participating in a gotong-royong to prepare meals for flood evacuees at SMK Pandan here on Thursday.
Manan said he wants mining operators and the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) in Bukit Goh to put up notices to warn people, especially children, of the dangers posed by the disused mining pools.
On Feb 4 last year, three children aged between 7 and 12 drowned in a disused bauxite mine while trying to retrieve a pair of trousers.
Following the incident, the Regent of Pahang Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah ordered the authorities to cover disused bauxite mines in the state.
On Wednesday, a 7-year-old boy became the first flood victim in Pahang after he drowned while playing near a monsoon drain at Kampung Padang Jaya at about 5pm.
Meanwhile, Manan said it is the responsibility of parents to keep a watchful eye on their children's activities during the monsoon season, especially those living near former mining pits.
"Parents must be aware of such dangers and be strict with their children. They need to monitor their children and be alert to whether their children are at home or outside with friends,” he added.