KUALA LUMPUR – Although the waters in Tasik Chini are clean and safe for all wildlife, as per the Pahang Department of Environment’s (DOE) report, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh has urged the agency to release water quality data on a monthly basis.
She said in a statement that this will allow the public to observe the impact of the manganese mining activities as well as pollution from the surrounding mines.
“This commitment will help the state government to prove that they are committed to preserving the ecosystem there as well as maintaining the Unesco biosphere reserve.”
There are around 15 water quality monitoring stations surrounding the second largest natural lake in the country.
“I have been made to understand that observations at the lake are being conducted since it was awarded biosphere reserve status by Unesco in May 2009.
“On March 13, 2019, the state government agreed to designate 4,498ha surrounding the lake as a permanent forest reserve.”
Despite this, she said the Pahang government has approved a 40.51ha manganese mining project to Hanishah Ventures Sdn Bhd, at a location close to Tasik Chini.
Additionally, Environmental Impact Assessment documents reported a number of smaller mines around the lake as well.
“Surely these projects may disrupt the natural ecosystem in the area surrounding the lake.”
The lake attracted media attention again after Malaysiakini reported that the Pahang government had given its approval to a company linked to a royal family for mining works to commence there, despite plans to rehabilitate the area.
The report said that the new mining site will be about 3km from the Unesco Biosphere Reserve, which has in recent years been grappling with mining and logging pollution.
Following damage caused to the lake in recent years, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail had in March 2019 agreed to gazette Tasik Chini and its surrounding area as a permanent forest reserve.
In June last year, he announced efforts to rehabilitate the lake and said the state will not approve new applications for temporary mining and logging concessions.
In November last year, Pahang gazetted Tasik Chini as a state park and banned all mining and logging activities in the surrounding area to allow for its restoration. – The Vibes, June 10, 2021
