The report on investigations into the 12 years of sea coral mining allegations in Tawau waters can be made public but only with conditions attached.

This was said by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun who added, "I will have first to check if there are any legal implications.

"But the gist of it is in my statement (Tuesday). The rest are procedural issues, pictures and appendices."

He was speaking to Malaysiakini on public demands for the report made vocal by green activist and lawyer Kong Hong Ming. "It's quite straightforward and you may even find it an anti-climax."

masidi manjun Masidi ( right) wondered why it took Kong Hong Ming years before deciding it to go public with the issue.

"A simple check would have revealed that the TOL (Temporary Occupation Licence) has not been renewed since 2005," he said, glossing over his Tuesday statement which confirmed that mining operations had in fact continued until May 27.

He also said that he had given the go-ahead for Sepa (Sabah Environmental Protection Association) to conduct their own probe.

Only sketchy preview

"The authorities can then really get to the bottom of the whole issue if the result of their probe differs from ours," he said.

coral reef mining of tawau sabah 130609 12 He also referred to Lands and Survey Department Director (LSD) Osman Jamal's July 7 press statement which , he said, dealt at length with the issue.

In fact all that the statement provided was a sketchy preview of the probe and dealt with the mechanics of applying for a sea-bed sand mining licence with the errant operator had possessed for several years but did nothing with it, only carry out illegal mining activities.

The statement had nothing on sea coral mining as such.

NONE Masidi said "I am not going to conduct affairs of the government through the media. It's really up to the public to make their own judgment."

He challenged those with doubts on the outcome of the investigation to conduct their own probe, and lodge a police report "if they find any misconduct which the official probe had failed to uncover or intentionally did not make public".

Be a gentleman call

Kong, meanwhile, does not want to belabour the issue any longer than necessary.He pointed out that he had already spent more than four months away from his Kota Kinabalu law practice to investigate the issue, and revealing all to the media.

NONE He expects Masidi to "be a gentleman" and either make public the official sea coral mining investigation report or seriously consider whether or not to retain his environment portfolio.

The former state cabinet minister confessed that he's frustrated wi the state government stonewalling the issue since he first went public with it on June 14.

"The sea coral reefs are a national heritage and the public have a right to know the story in its entirety," explained Kong who is also the Tawau PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat)chief.

"They should adopt the right approach and release the probe report immediately so that the public can decide for themselves. There's no need to make up their minds for them through a press statement."

NONE Kong has been less than happy with some local media coverage on his allegations of sea coral mining in the waters off Tawau since Masidi's Tues statement. The local papers have been going to town with Masidi's line that "Kong was confused and that dead sea coral is the same as sea sand".

"Masidi should not continue to harp on the dead sea coral is sea sand theme. Such a statement coming from a cabinet minister is a total disgrace and a waste of time and public resources," said Kong who read law in London after serving as an engineer with the Public Works Department for 10 years.

"Any school student knows that sand is silica and sea coral, whether dead or living, is calcium carbonate."