Kuantan MP: Bauxite moratorium useless if illegal mining goes on

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh is concerned that without proper guidelines, the recently announced extension to the bauxite moratorium in Pahang to clear excess stockpiles may be used by miners to sneak out their illegally mined ores.

"During the previous 15-month moratorium, the stockpiles at the 12 locations only shrunk by 3.25 million tonnes. However, an unending stream of lorries ferried bauxite and have begun to line up on the roads again, as illegal bauxite mining continues during the night," she said in a statement.

Fuziah called for clear guidelines and stringent enforcement by all the relevant agencies to curb illegal mining and attempts to sneak out illegally mined ores.

"I worry that the situation may worsen if authorities do not take action," she said.