Green group pleads Minister to stop Kedah's tango in rare-earth mining

SHAH ALAM – Fearing the degradation of biodiversity in a Permanent Forest Reserve (PRF) in Kedah, the green group Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has once again sounded the alarm on the state government’s bid to dabble in rare-earth mining.

While conceding that the Kedah government has the say in matters of land resources, SAM president Meenakshi Raman pointed out that the Federal government – to some extent – can advise its state counterpart as per the Federal Constitution.

As such, she called on the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) to caution the Kedah government over the perils of rare-earth mining in the Bukit Enggang PRF in Sik.

“Mining and quarrying activities in PRF will disrupt the forest biodiversity and its functions and will affect Malaysia’s achievement of sustainable forest management which is the core of our national forest management,” said Meenakshi in a statement issued today.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Mohd Nor in 2020 announced the state’s plans to mine rare earth, including lanthanide, as they carried an untapped value of some RM62 billion.

Rare-earth mining in PRF, added Meenakshi, would be an offence given how rare-earth minerals were not classified as forest products in National Forestry Act and by the Special Task Force which deliberated on rare-earth extraction in PRFs.

“Therefore, it is clear that if the state government intends to approve REE mineral resource mining activities in Bukit Enggang PRF,” she argued.

On top of that, the Kedah government will contradict Malaysia’s commitment in sustainable forest management in which NRECC minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad assured that mining activities will not occur in PRF, protected areas and environmentally sensitive areas.

“SAM also reiterates that the state government must heed the decision by the National Land Council (NLC) during the 70th NLC Meeting in 2014 for all State Governments to take the initiative to control or as far as possible avoid the approval of mining and quarrying activities in PRFs,” read Meenakshi’s statement.

In January, the Menteri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI Kedah) had signed a memorandum of understanding with Jangka Bakat Minerals Sdn Bhd and China’s Xiamen Tungsten Co Ltd on the exploration, technical assistance and mining of rare earth elements.