CHINESE sand mining company SBH Kibing Silicon Materials Sdn Bhd has refuted allegations that the company was responsible for the alleged pollution of waterways near its mining site in Sikuati, Kudat, Sabah.
Company officials also rubbished allegations that they restricted locals from accessing the beach and were secretive about their mining operations in Kudat.
SBH Kibing public relations manager Fred Nee said the blackish water was the result of recent heavy rain, causing soil and other pollutants from the surrounding area to wash into the waterways, drain and eventually flow to the beach.
Nee said the environmental protection equipment and facilities at the plant were operating normally and being monitored by the environmental consultant.
“There have been no instances of illegal discharge of pollutants from the mining and processing operation,” he said during a briefing in Kudat.
Nee was responding to concerns raised by indigenous rights activist and former senator Adrian Lasimbang over the environmental impact of the company’s mining activities.
Lasimbang also previously claimed the company has been preventing communities from accessing the beach, which locals named as Pantai Bangau.
According to Nee, Kibing has not barred villagers from accessing the beach but only prohibited individuals from entering the construction site.
“It is for their own safety. But this will only be temporary. They would be allowed to access the specific area once the jetty is completed,” he said.
Nee said the company was also aware that the mining operation was set up within the vicinity of the Tun Mustapha Marine Park, stating that the company has signed a deal with the park’s caretaker, Sabah Parks, to operate the jetty.
The construction of the jetty, which will be operated by SBH Kibing Logistics Service Sdn Bhd, will be completed latest by June this year.
The jetty will be used to transport processed silica via sea to the company’s glass panel manufacturing plant, SBH Kibing Solar Materials Sdn Bhd, located at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park in Kota Kinabalu.
SBH Kibing’s internal consultant adviser Elin Empau said the incident of the discoloured water near the plant’s waterways was a natural phenomenon as the land around Sikuati comprises peat soil and charcoal due to constant bush fires in the area.
Brushing aside allegations that the mining operations had caused the blackish waters, Empau also said the incident occurred due to the recent rainfall in the area.
Based on a recent water analysis, it was revealed there was a spike in the total suspended solids in the waterways as the pollutants were washed into them, she said.
“The excess of nitrate and food chemicals content, results may be linked to the upstream water containing animal wastes such as chickens and pollutants from non-point sources transported by tides.
“The decomposition of plants present from the project site and septic tanks were provided for the sanitary facilities onsite,” she said. – The Vibes, February 27, 2024
