SANDAKAN – For about 30 years, illegal gold mining activities near Sg Bole at the Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve have been going on under the noses of the authorities.
But for the first time this year, Sabah authorities finally have evidence of illegal activities in the Lahad Datu forest as they discovered several underground tunnels in August.
This was largely due to efforts by the General Operations Force (GOF), Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Parks and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – which joined forces in the Integrated Khazanah Ops (OBK).
However, the suspects fled before several raids were carried out since August.
Sabah GOF brigade deputy commander and OBK field commanding officer Toipi Lamat said the suspects could have been tipped off by movement in the area and escaped.
The OBK personnel discovered six gold mining areas, involving a 8km stretch near Sg Bole.
In the eighth kilometre alone, 103 “holes” were found. These square-shaped holes are about 10 to 17m deep and used as entry and exit points to the underground tunnels, which are about 15 to 30m each in length.
Judging from the items the suspects left behind, it is estimated that the illegal gold mining activities have been going on since the 1990s.
The enforcement teams also found 14 huts believed to be the lodgings of the suspects, and surrounding the huts are fruits and vegetable farms, pointing to them having stayed in the area for a long time.
“We found clothes, food, 50kg of rice, and also weapons. We even found that they planted durian trees (which have matured), as well as a basketball field,” Toipi said.
The authorities yesterday held a briefing with Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Hazani Ghazali at the Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok.
Toipi said from an on-site investigation, the GOF believes that the suspects are divided into three groups, each with different roles – prospecting for gold, transporting them to the surface, and panning at the river.
He added that the authorities were alerted after public information on the location of the mines.
“We also found that there had been unreported deaths – two miners trapped in a collapsed tunnel, one died in a fight, and one died of malaria.”
In a press conference later, Hazani said OBK has not been able to identify the nationalities of the suspects, but believes it involved a criminal syndicate.
“Such activities – illegal mining, poaching, illegal logging – are syndicate activities,” he said at a press conference after the closing ceremony of OBK yesterday.
Sabah chief conservator of forests Datuk Frederick Kugan at the same press conference said the state Forestry Department has been sending enforcement teams to Malua Forest Reserve, but does not have the expertise in identifying minerals or gold.
“Also, the tunnels are underground, and the Forestry Department’s jurisdiction (under the Forest Enactment 1968) only deals with surface activities, such as to stop illegal logging.
“We need another law relating to minerals and so on. We may need assistance from the Minerals and Geoscience Department.”
Kugan also said that the area was initially gazetted as Class II Commercial Forest Reserve in the 1990s until it was reclassified as Class I Protection Forest Reserve in 2012 due to the orangutan population.
“Since the area was an active site for commercial purposes, it had many entry points. These routes must be demolished now.”
Kugan said the mining activity had destroyed most of the riparian flora, and excavation works could have harmed wildlife in the area as the tunnels and holes had caused cave-ins.
He added that the river could be polluted from gold panning activities.
OBK to be continued
Given the results from OBK, Hazani said he has decided to continue the operation that was supposed to end yesterday after 67 days in action.
“I am supposed to close this operation, but I don’t want to. OBK will go on in Sabah. In fact, I will take the OBK in Sabah as a model to the peninsula and Sarawak.”
Since it was launched on August 13, the OBK has solved 66 cases, involving a total of 73 arrests and RM3.2 million in seized goods.
Hazani said the RM3.2 million does not reflect the actual value the country had lost as the crimes are detrimental to forest ecology.
“I will propose for drastic actions to be taken including under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (2012) and Prevention of Crime Act (1959) as well as Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (2001).
“These criminals are earning a lot from illegal activities and I am sure there are syndicates involved.
“I will also suggest to the government to widen the scope of the Wildlife Crime Bureau – approved in June – to the National Treasure Crime Bureau (Biro Jenayah Khazanah Negara) so it covers illegal logging, mining, hunting and the exploitation of flora and fauna.
“If my proposal is approved, I will include other government agencies (that are in OBK) for sure.” – The Vibes, October 16, 2021
