IPOH: Perak Mentri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) has strongly refuted any allegation that mining activities in Perak are being conducted with no regulatory compliance.
As a state-owned business entity, MB Inc said it had always complied with all rules and regulations on sand and mineral mining operations set by the relevant government agencies such as the State Drainage and Irrigation Department and Fisheries Department.
“This is done prior to the commencement of any mining activities to ensure that all potential risks on the livelihood of fishermen and farmers along the riverbanks are duly mitigated and well addressed,“ said MB Inc in a statement, here, today.
The statement was issued in response to a local portal’s report titled, ‘Perak’s sand mining: A ticking time bomb’ published on May 31.
Perak MB Inc also noted that the rivers and streams located in the main river basins including Sungai Perak, needed to be maintained yearly to ensure their morphology and hydrology were at the optimum level.
Citing extraction of sand, Perak MB Inc said it had to be carried out in Sungai Kerian, Sungai Bidor, Sungai Kinta and Sungai Pelus to avoid flooding due to their shallow riverbeds.
“Sand extraction in these rivers help to mitigate flooding which could create bigger damage to properties and crops along the riverbanks.
“Sand mining activities in these rivers also help the water treatment plants operated by the Perak Water Board along the riverbanks to function well without disruptions,“ it said. — Bernama
