MUADZAM SHAH: Due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), a foreigner assumed that the Forestry Department enforcement officers would not be conducting patrol.
The 68-year-old Indonesian was proven wrong when he was caught red-handed by a team of officers from the Rompin district Forestry office while illegally carrying out gold mining activities at the Bukit Ibam forest reserve here about 1.15pm yesterday.
Pahang Forestry Department director Datuk Dr Mohd Hizamri Mohd Yasin said investigations revealed that the suspect was part of a bigger syndicate which was mining gold at the forest reserve.
He said the department had also seized an excavator, a water pump, an electric generator, two motorcycles and a gold separating machine.
"Investigations revealed the gold mining activities here were still new and adopted modern technology. We believe the suspects have previous experience in similar mining works... there were several others involved but during the raid, only one person was at the site.
"The syndicate has invested a lot of money to prepare the required facilities so that works could be carried out smoothly. Sadly, their greed and illegal activities have destroyed certain section of the forest," he said today.
Hizamri said checks revealed the syndicate adopted the underground gold mining technique to get bigger returns but the underground tunnel posed a high risk as it could collapse due to earth movements.
"The suspect has been remanded for 14 days for further investigations while the seized equipment is being kept at the Forestry Department's store at the Kemasul office in Mentakab," he said.
He added besides illegally entering the forest reserves without a permit, the suspect would also be investigated under Section 32 of the National Forestry Act 1984 for illegal gold-mining operations.
Hizamri said despite the MCO, the department's enforcement team throughout the state would continued to carry out patrol as usual to prevent people from taking advantage of the situation.
"Our enforcement team will continue to patrol to curb illegal logging and mining activities. Do not assume that the enforcement officers are at home during the MCO... our teams are on the ground to patrol and nab those involved in forest encroachment.
"Besides conducting patrol, the department has its eyes and ears on the ground to help provide information on illegal activities. To date, we have raided four illegal gold mining sites at Aur Gading, Ulu Jelai, Kuala Lipis and Ibam forest reserve, and arrested three suspects," he said.