Bauxite mining: Conditions must be met first

SUBANG JAYA: Bauxite mining companies must fulfil all conditions stipulated by the government before the moratorium can be lifted.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Jaafar said the government will not compromise on the matter and will continue extending otherwise.
"It's like the government is playing football with these companies. We kicked the ball to them and gave them a list of SOPs already, such as for stockpiling and transport bauxite.
"They must satisfy the rules first, then we talk. If we allow them to resume mining without meeting those rules, then the people will be affected, and then they will complain to us," Wan Junaidi told a press conference today.
One of the conditions, he said, is that the companies must clear all existing stockpile of bauxite minerals, which is still not done.
Bauxite mining in Kuantan was frozen for three months due to the adverse effect it had on the environment and the people living around both the mining areas and the port on Jan 15.
The moratorium was extended for three months on March 15 when conditions have not been met, and it was yet again extended on June 15 for the same reason.
Wan Junaidi was opening the National Conference on Sustainability, Climate Change, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the UN's Social Development Goals (SDG) and the role of Businesses.
He said the governments of 165 countries have already signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change last year, including Malaysia, and the private sector should step up and work with governments to address global warming.
Wan Junaidi said the increased emphasis on environmental friendliness throughout the world means that companies can increase its value up to 80% or decrease it by 65% depending on how they address climate change.
"The business community needs to work with the government to both adapt to the current impacts of climate change and transition to resource and energy-efficient, low-emission development pathway," he said.
Wan Junaidi said businesses can directly contribute to achieving UN's SDGs especially in the areas of good health and wellbeing, affordable and clean energy, and climate action.
In return, he said, companies will be able to identify future business opportunities, enhance the value of CSR, and help stabilise markets and societies.
Wan Junaidi also warned Malaysians to not take global warming lightly, as a worst case scenario will see sea levels rising so much that it will sink a significant portion of Malaysia.
"Polar and glacier ice caps will melt due to global warming and up to 20% of Malaysia could sink, and millions of Malaysians will have to abandon their homes," he said.