Bauxite: Natural resources and environment ministry to fully cooperate with MACC

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry (NRE) is totally committed to and will continue to offer full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the investigation of the illegal mining of bauxite in Pahang.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the ministry would not entertain any appeals or requests to interfere with MACC's ongoing investigations.

"NRE fully and unequivocally supports the action taken by the MACC in seizing the stockpile of bauxite to further facilitate their investigation into the illegal mining of bauxite," he said in a statement Sunday.

Wan Junaidi was commenting on a media report yesterday, stating that MACC will seize over 10 million tonnes of bauxite stockpile in Pahang.

Wan Junaidi said the moratorium was imposed by the government in January last year to bauxite operators and company owners who had been granted special export permits to stop operation of bauxite mining in the state and were ordered to clear the existing stockpiles.

However, he said the instruction was not adhered to despite numerous reminders by the ministry via phone contact and through the media.

-- BERNAMA