NGO prepared to help curb abuse by bauxite miners

The Bukit Goh Bauxite Problems Coordination Committee is ready to provide its cooperation to the state and federal governments to check misconduct by bauxite miners in the state.

Its chairman, Datuk Wahid Manaf said the NGO could help monitor mining activities and report any wrongdoings with pictures as evidence to the relevant agencies.

"Our committee comprises Bukit Goh settlers and their children and only we know the real problem faced by the residents here," he told reporters here Saturday.

It is learnt, 248 of the 762 Bukit Goh settlers had allowed bauxite mining on their land involving an area of 1,005.6 hectares since 2013 to date.

Wahid was also fo the view that the three-month moratorium starting from Jan 15 as sufficient and it was not necessary to extend it as the mining activities are a source of income for the settlers involved.

"We abide by the decision for a three-month halt to give time to the government to improve all earlier weaknesses," he said.