The former bauxite mine in Felda Bukit Goh, Kuantan, may be developed as an industrial area if the land is no longer suitable for oil palm.

State Felda affairs committee chairperson Abu Bakar Harun said this was an alternative plan being considered to help the settlers, after the mining activities were stopped.

"If it is suitable as an industrial area, we may have joint-ventures with the land owners, with the agreement of the state government and Felda. This is to ensure that the settlers benefit if the land is no longer fit for crop cultivation."

Abu Bakar was speaking to reporters after the closing of a corporate social responsibility programme by Politeknik Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (Polisas) at the D'Kucing Valley Hajah Maimudah cat centre in Felda Chini 4, Pekan, yesterday.

Commenting on the opinions of several academicians that the bauxite mine was not suitable for development as its land structure had been disturbed, Abu Bakar said he was leaving it to the developers to decide.

He said to date, 205 of the 500 Felda settlers were affected by bauxite mining, involving 2,050 acres of land.

The state government, including Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob, would meet with the affected settlers before the moratorium ends on April 15 to explain the actual situation to them, Abu Bakar added.

- Bernama