The parties involved in the bauxite mining activities should include the local people in discussions to find the best solution to the issue.

People's Movement to Stop Bauxite Pollution (Geram) chairperson Ali Akbar Othman said the opinion of the locals should be considered because they were among those affected by the bauxite mining.

He said the MACC decision to withdraw the seizure order on 10 million tonnes of bauxite stockpile in Pahang would have a negative effect if there was no effective monitoring.

"During the moratorium period, the life of the locals was good, as they no longer had to suffer the effects from the greed of the bauxite traders. Their surroundings were no longer dirty and dusty and there was no traffic congestion.

“This will change if the government is not serious about providing an effective mechanism to control the mining and transporting of bauxite,” he said when contacted here today.

Ali Akbar said the state government should hold talks with the enforcement agencies, community representatives, and bauxite operators to find a “win-win solution.”

Meanwhile, Beserah state assemblyperson Andansura Rabu said bauxite-related activities should not be allowed until improvements were made or new guidelines for the standard operating procedure were drawn up.

He urged the MACC to reveal if there were elements of corruption in the mining activities so that appropriate steps could be immediately taken.

“The proposal that all those involved in the bauxite activities take an oath could turn out to be empty promises which cannot curb corrupt practices in the future,” he added.

Last Thursday, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki announced that they were withdrawing the seizure order on the bauxite stockpile.

The decision followed a decision by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Minerals and Geoscience Department, and the Pahang state government to introduce new rulings for bauxite operators.

These include requiring the bauxite operators to sign an oath before the ministry would approve any application for approval permit for them to take out the stockpile, including declaring that they were not involved in corruption and abuse of power.

Today, the ministry issued a statement that the moratorium period which was scheduled to end on Dec 31 would be extended to June 30 next year, with some improvements.

- Bernama