No seabed tin mining in Manjung, says Saarani

No seabed tin mining activity is taking place along the coastal area or the estuary of Sungai Batu in the Manjung district, according to Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad.

He said the Minerals and Geoscience Department has confirmed that no Mining Operation Scheme Approval Letter has been issued for mining activities in the area.

“Any mining activity can only proceed once departmental approval is received. Although an application has been submitted, it is still under evaluation by the committee at the headquarters, and no operational approval has been granted.

“At present, only silica sand mining is being carried out by the developer, based on the approval of the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) dated June 13, 2023. This activity is taking place 5km from the turtle landing site at Pasir Panjang beach.”

He said this when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address at the state assembly sitting today.

Saarani also said that the Perak State Land and Mines Office has designated the coastal area as a Category 3 Coastal Environmentally Sensitive Area under the revised Manjung District Local Plan (RTD) 2030. This designation is due to the region's marine ecosystem, so mining activities are prohibited.

“A decision was also made by the Technical Committee on Mineral Development Geospatial on Oct 7, 2024, not to consider any new mining applications or licence renewals in the area, in line with the state government's commitment to protecting the environment and the interests of the fishing community,” he added.

On Feb 14, over 1,500 fisherfolk who rely on coastal resources for their livelihoods urged authorities to revoke approval for a seabed tin mining project planned along the district's coastline.

They alleged that permission for mining was given from the estuary of Sungai Batu to Tanjung Batu, an area that is a primary source of income for local fisherfolk.

- Bernama

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