ALOR STAR: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that the state government is prepared to allocate a portion of land in Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve in Sik for conducting non-radioactive rare earth elements (REE) mining impact assessments.
Sanusi stated that this decision has been convered to the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia director general, Datuk Mohd Ridza Awang.
"We have informed the director general that we are ready to allocate a portion of land (in Bukit Enggang) for the pilot project to study the impact of rare earth elements mining on the forest, particularly the trees. We have identified a plot of land, and we are willing to provide whatever size they require, as Bukit Enggang encompasses about 6,000 hectares," he said during a press conference after chairing the state executive council meeting at Wisma Darul Aman.
Last month, Sanusi, who is also Jeneri assemblyman, announced that the Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve has been chosen as the location for pilot studies on the REE mining impact assessment.
This decision came in response to the announcement by the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, stating that state governments were allowed to conduct REE exploration based on existing standard operating procedures.