Saifuddin 'awaits' lawsuit from Sanusi

BANDAR BAHARU - The Pakatan Harapan (PH) secretary-general, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, awaits the lawsuit action that Kedah Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, wants to take against him over stolen of rare earth elements (REE).

Saifuddin said some irrefutable facts in the REE theft case cannot be disregarded.

First, no company has been granted an export license allowing the illegal minerals to be transported to Port Klang. Second, some of those who were arrested have been charged under the relevant subsections.

"Another fact is that some of those arrested have been charged under the relevant subsection; the next fact is that MBI Kedah was given a compound notice by the Lands and Mines director (PTG).

Lastly, MBI Kedah is among the companies authorised by the state government to explore or prospect, but none of them had permission to mine," he told the media after inspecting the Water Treatment Plant (LRA) Lubuk Buntar here on Sunday.

However, he said there are still many questions that need to be answered by the Perikatan Nasional director general (PN) before asserting that Kedah MBI had no involvement in the incident.

Saifuddin further said there is no SOP related to rare earth mining prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, as informed by Sanusi himself and that they were waiting for that matter.

"Sanusi always says that the Kedah government is waiting for the SOP that needs to be developed because REE mineral is a new discovery not only in Kedah but in many states in the peninsula.

"In fact, those arrested previously included foreigners and some of them had work visas issued from the Kedah MBI certificate.

“Entering work is managed by MBI and the company (joint venture) concerned, and (eventually) being arrested must be for reasons such as carelessness in the forest reserve, where if you enter without a permit from the forest department, you can be arrested; that is the reality of Kedah," he said.

Previously, Sinar reported Sanusi's statement that he would take legal action against Saifuddin over the REE issue.

Sanusi claimed that the information stated by Saifuddin was not true because it was considered misleading and politically motivated.

Sanusi also added that MBI Kedah was not compounded for the offence of stealing the minerals but because the agency involved is a forest plantation permit holder in the area where the theft occurred.

Earlier, Saifuddin revealed that MBI Kedah was charged a compound amounting to RM500,000 for being involved in the theft of REE in Kampung Chong, Sik.