KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — The “unity government” will establish policies to regulate the excavation and mining of rare earth elements (REE) if it wins control of Kedah in the state election this Saturday, Pakatan Harapan (PH) secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
Among its proposed policies will be putting conditions on approving licences for REE excavation and mining, he added.
He said this is to ensure that only registered geologists, whether local or foreign, perform such processes with the involvement of professional engineers.
“This means that the governance on managing REE on the part of Sanusi is extremely destructive,” Saifuddin Nasution said in a news conference from Kedah that was also aired love on his Facebook page today.
He was referring to caretaker Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor from political rival PAS, a component party in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change told Parliament in June that currently, there is no specific agreement for the mining industry between the federal government, state governments or mining operators.
Sanusi is embroiled in controversy over the theft of REE excavated from Sik in Kedah.
He claimed in a speech last week that the Sik REE theft ccured due to a lack of regulations.
But Saifuddin Nasution who is also home minister, pointed out that the National Mineral Council, of which Sanusi is a member, met in May this year to suggest standard operating procedures for REE and that discussions covered the pre-mining, process, during mining, and post-mining.
He added that the council also summarised relevant legislations at the state and federal levels while taking into account regulatory bodies.
“So I ask him: ‘Was he present or not at the National Mineral Council meeting on May 8?’,” Saifuddin Nasution said of his conversation with Sanusi.
Saifuddin Nasution also questioned by a Malaysian company owner Ho Chung Meng who had been charged in court with trespassing inside Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve earlier this year, was allowed to enter the same parcel of land afterwards.
The federal minister cited from a letter dated May 15 that purportedly permitted Ho to enter the area again as proof.
Sanusi had previously denied issuing it and claimed instead that approval came from the director of the Forestry Department.
“I would like to thank Sanusi for swallowing the bait,” Saifuddin Nasution said, adding that Sanusi’s denial of having issued the letter proved its existence.
“The question to Sanusi is: why allow a thief to re-enter a place where REE was stolen from?” he asked.
Ho was among 40 people, including five Malaysians, who were charged at the Sessions Court in Baling, Kedah with trespassing into Bukit Enggang Forest Reserves in January this year.
The New Straits Times reported the 40 to have been charged under Section 47(1) of the National Forestry Act 1984, which disallows entry into closed forests with certain exceptions. Conviction will lead to a fine of up to RM10,000, imprisonment not exceeding three years, or both.
Saifuddin Nasution and Sanusi have verbally sparring in public over the theft of REE in Kedah.
Last week, Saifuddin Nasution revealed a photograph of Sanusi with the Chinese national known as “So Loi Fat”, who was allegedly involved in the theft of REE in the state.
Sanusi reportedly acknowledged his acquaintance with So, but denied involvement with So’s business affairs, which he said was with the state’s Land and Minerals Office as well as the Kedah Menteri Besar Inc.
The day after, Saifuddin Nasution warned Sanusi to brace himself for a court reckoning once the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission have completed their investigations of the REE theft in Sik.