COMMENT On Jan 28, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) team members decided to 'turun padang' (go to the ground) on an expedition to Kuantan, to explore the regions where the controversial mining of bauxite ore that had hit the news for its seemingly dangerous and uncontrolled activity.

After a comprehensive observation of the affected areas - including the surrounding ocean and the port - an immediate and easy observation could be that an environmental disaster and tragedy has unflooded around the city of Kuantan, leaving us with questions over how did things come to arrive at this stage, in such a short space of time?

Tons of red earth were being sent on barges, loaded onto ships and moving out in droves to the lands of China. The bauxite mining industry has a plethora of environmental impacts, with the capability to cause severe pollution to air, water and damage on the land itself.