Kuantan: Penguatkuasaan tegas yang dilakukan pihak berkuasa menyebabkan tiada aktiviti perlombongan bauksit dijalankan di kawasan Felda Bukit Goh di sini.

Berikutan itu, kawasan terbabit yang pernah menjadi tumpuan pelombong kini terbiar serta ada kawasan ditumbuhi lalang dan semak samun selepas ditinggalkan dalam tempoh beberapa tahun.

Berdasarkan tinjauan baru-baru ini, tiada sebarang aktiviti dilakukan susulan daripada keputusan kerajaan yang tidak meluluskan perlombongan bauksit itu.

Keadaan tapak perlombongan yang terletak beberapa ratus meter dari jalan utama seolah-olah tiada aktiviti perlombongan yang pernah dilakukan.

Pada masa sama, pihak berkuasa khususnya kerajaan negeri melalui Unit Penguatkuasaan Negeri Pahang (UPNP) serius untuk memastikan tiada lagi aktiviti perlombongan bauksit haram.

Sebaliknya, pemilik tanah mahu kerajaan negeri mempertimbangkan projek solar di bekas tapak lombong terbabit.

Projek itu juga akan menjana pendapatan kepada peneroka, khususnya generasi kedua.

Bagi generasi kedua Felda Bukit Goh, Ros Asmawi Abdul Latif, 43, peneroka bersedia untuk menyertai cadangan projek solar dan berharap kerajaan negeri memberi kelulusan.

"Disebabkan aktiviti perlombongan bauksit tidak diluluskan, dengan menukar bidang lain, ia akan menjana pendapatan kepada kami.

"Oleh itu, kami harap kerajaan negeri memberi kelulusan dan menunggu berita baik," katanya.

Sementara itu, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Sungai Lembing Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri berkata, disebabkan peluang untuk meneruskan aktiviti perlombongan bauksit tipis berikutan potensi pencemaran udara dan air jadi sudah tiba masanya untuk meneroka sumber pendapatan baharu.

"Mungkin kerajaan negeri boleh mempertimbangkan untuk meluluskan bekas tapak untuk projek solar kerana kebanyakan peneroka sudah bersedia .

"Projek solar akan membantu menyelesaikan isu tanah terbiar dan membolehkan peneroka menjana pendapatan," katanya.

Pada 12 Disember lalu, Menteri Sumber Asli dan Kelestarian Alam Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad berkata, tidak ada sebarang kelulusan diberikan kepada Laporan Kajian Kesan Kepada Alam Sekeliling (EIA) bagi projek perlombongan bauksit di Bukit Goh.

KUANTAN: The Pahang government should consider giving the green light for the proposed solar farming project on the former bauxite mining sites at Felda Bukit Goh here to allow the settlers to generate an income.

Sungai Lembing assemblyman Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri said chances to resume bauxite mining activities appear slim due to the potential air and water pollution so it is time to explore a new source of income.

"Maybe the Pahang government can consider approving the former sites for solar farming as most of the settlers are prepared to move on. Solar farming will help to solve the idle land issue at the settlement and allow the settlers to generate an income.

"I previously made two appointments to meet the state Land and Mines Office (PTG) to obtain a clear picture on the fate of the bauxite mining sites and stockpiles but the officer was unavailable. I am also hoping for a long term solution for the settlers," he said when contacted today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government does not plan to establish a new entity to regulate the rare earth element (REE) industry in the country, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said this is because the existing legal framework and Federal Constitution are already sufficient to manage and regulate the industry since the development of the mineral material is under the jurisdiction of the state government.

"...but we encourage local industries to be competitive by penetrating the REE industry market from upstream to downstream.

"We want to reduce dependence on foreign countries to develop the industry, and we are aware that it is among the strategic industries involved in geopolitical competition at the international level," he said at the winding up of the Supply Bill 2025 for his ministry, at the Dewan Negara today.

Therefore, moving forward, Nik Nazmi said the government has recently established a special task force to discuss issues and set the direction for the development of the REE industry at all levels.

Meanwhile, on the proposal for the federal government to be the mediator to resolve the Kedah state government's claim against Penang regarding contribution to the cost of conserving the Ulu Muda Kedah forest which is a source of water supply for both states, Nik Nazmi said this matter needs to be viewed holistically.

He understood the issue raised by the Kedah state government was because there are several river basins in the country across state borders and therefore it requires the government to come up with an integrated river basin management plan.

"In the Kedah-Penang context, they (Kedah) feel that for the water supply in Penang, the Kedah government has a burden or responsibility to preserve the area but in the current legal or constitutional framework, there is no provision (for joint river basin management).

"In Australia, there is (provided in the legislation) regarding integrated river basin management. In our country, it has indeed been proposed but has not yet received agreement at the state level.

"In this regard, it needs to be discussed further so that a win-win solution can be created to safeguard the issue or water supply in each state," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu in her winding up for the ministry said that 31 out of 155 local authorities (PBTs) have implemented the policy of one percent employment opportunities in the public service for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), to date.

She said the appointments involved 18 PwDs as council members and 146 PwDs as PBT employees, whether permanent, temporary or contract.

"The government fully supports the efforts of PBTs to uphold the involvement of PwDs in their respective organisational structures and service delivery systems, in line with the desire to uphold the interests of an inclusive, fair and inclusive public service," she said. - BERNAMA