KUALA LUMPUR – A proposed logging and tin mining project in a forested area in the sub-district of Kerunai, Hulu Perak had set off red flags for Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) due to the risks of contaminating water sources.
It said that a local mining company, EMBI Mining Sdn Bhd, has proposed to carry out logging and tin mining activities in a forested area in Kerunai, where 245ha (605 acres) of forest has been excised out of Hutan Simpan Kenderong for the logging and mining operations.
Referring to information from an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the environmental protection NGO slammed the proposal, highlighted a number of problems that could arise from the project, such as jeopardising important water sources.
“According to the EIA, the proposed site is a hilly terrain that has an elevation of 320m to 450m.
“Moreover, the proposed site is also a water catchment area, whereby the EIA report clearly states that there are tributary rivers which run in close proximity to the project side that flows into Sg Perak.
“Sg Perak is an important water source which provides 45% of potable water for the state of Perak,” SAM president Meenakshi Raman said in a statement today.
She cited a similar situation that had happened in the past at the Air Ganda water intake point, which happens to be the closest one to the proposed project site, and which was forced to shut down in 2019 after local residents predominantly Orang Asli suffered from skin disease.
“Upon investigation, authorities found traces of arsenic in the water mainly caused by a licensed mining company that conducted mining activity at the same location which EMBI Mining Sdn Bhd has proposed their project now,” she claimed.
“No matter what type of mitigation and reparation plans the project proponent might have recommended, carrying out environmentally disastrous projects will degrade the local environment to the extent where no mitigation nor reparation plan will work,” she said.
Moreover, Meenakshi said that the proposed site is home to various wildlife, including those endangered and facing extinction.
She explained that the site is located within the primary linkage-8 of the Central Forest Spine (CFS) region, which acts as a natural corridor.
“The primary linkage of CFS is an important natural corridor which allows large mammals to travel from one primary forest to another to find food and shelter.
“Proposing mining projects at such naturally pristine locations will further exacerbate the already worsened human wildlife conflict situation in Malaysia,” she stressed.
Additionally, the site has been categorised as an Environmentally Sensitive Area Rank 1.
This meant that development, agriculture or logging are strictly not permitted except for low-impact nature tourism activities and for research and educational purposes.
She also pressed for action to be taken by the Environment Department (DoE) and the Perak government.
“We therefore urge the DoE to reject the EIA report and the state government of Perak to take immediate measures to revoke the degazettement of the Hutan Simpan Kenderong, and gazette the forest as a water catchment forest.”
Yesterday, an environmental protection NGO found a total of 43,539ha of jungle land plots being sold online.
The land parcels that included forest reserves and indigenous customary land were found advertised for conversion to agriculture with a 99-year lease. – The Vibes, February 4, 2022
