Further in-depth probe on pollution claims at Tawau gold mining site, says Liew

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been asked to carry out an in-depth check on allegations of serious pollution taking place at a gold mining site in Sabah’s Tawau district, says Datuk Christina Liew.

The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said the issues involved were controversial and complicated but environmentalists have been insistent to have the matter probed further.

“There is some controversy there and I asked the EPD to investigate,” she told reporters after attending her ministry’s buka puasa gathering at a hotel here on Wednesday (April 3).

She said the EPD director had previously informed her that a thorough investigation was conducted and the company involved have fulfilled all the requirements needed.

“But there are people still unhappy about this. I will ask him to make further study on this matter,” said Liew, adding that environmentalists and activists continue to express their concern over this issue.

On March 4, a police report was lodged over alleged toxic waste pollution at the controversial gold mine in Sabah’s East coast Tawau district.

In the report, the complainant claimed a company that operated the gold mining activities on the land had discarded untreated sodium cyanide from its factory, which had allegedly flowed into the land adjacent to Sungai Mantri located in a fully protected first-class forest reserve near the factory.

The gold mining operations have courted controversy since last year, with Sabah PKR leader Sazalye Donol Abdullah urging the Prime Minister’s intervention in the matter.

Sazalye said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should step in to resolve an apparent conflict over state and federal laws in the controversial gold mining operations in Tawau.

He said it was clear that the continuing gold mining operations at Bukit Mantri was shrouded with legal questions as the state government seemed to have overridden the federal powers to allow it to continue.

Sazalye claimed that the federal Mineral and Geoscience Department, through the Inspector of Mines, had issued a stop order on gold mining operations in November last year.

The mine is currently operating under the mining licence issued under the Sabah Mining Ordinance 1960.

Previously, Assistant Minister to Chief Minister Datuk Abdin Madingkir said that the mining operations were legal as the state mining ordinance allowed for the director of the Land and Survey Department, Datuk Bernard Liew, to be the Chief Inspector of Mining.