PEKAN: After being on the receiving end for allegedly approving fresh mining activities at Tasik Chini near here, a Pahang government agency today provided clarification to set the record straight.
The State Land and Mines Office, in a statement, said both federal and state government agencies were involved in processing all the applications for the new mining lease in Pahang.
It said that before an approval is given, several processes and government agencies are involved in scrutinising the applications.
"The responsibilities at state level (involving the state government) includes receiving the application, referring it to eight technical agencies including the drainage and irrigation department, district and land office, and land and mines office for feedback.
"Then followed by making recommendations to the state mineral resources committeec(for review) and approval by the state authority. Once the approval payment is done, the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) will prepare the map and the final process is the mining lease registration," read the statement.
The statement read that once the process at state government-level has been completed, then agencies at federal government will be involved.
"If the mining site is categorised as an "environmentally sensitive area" then the applicant will have to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Department of Environment (DoE).
"Once all the conditions are met in compliance with the environmental impact assessment requirements, the applicant will then have to request for the Operational Mining Scheme (OMS) from the Minerals and Geoscience Department to start mining activities," it read.
The state government's jurisdiction according to the Pahang State Mineral Enactment 2001 is only until the issuance of the mining lease registration while the federal government has the power to approve the mining activities under the Mineral Development Act 1994,
Meanwhile, the State Land and Mines Office said the detailed statement was issued to inform about the responsibilities played by agencies at the state and federal governments (in approving mining activities) to avoid any confusion which could lead to negative perceptions and failing to portray the real situation.
"Mining lease applications will not be approved without the involvement of both the state and federal governments. Numerous agencies are involved at various stages involving the mining lease in Pahang," it read.
The latest development comes in the wake of recent reports that the Pahang government has given the green light for mining operations in the vicinity of Tasik Chini in Pekan to a royalty-linked company.
The project raised eyebrows as the state government had promised some two years ago that it will not approve any new mining lease around Tasik Chini to revive the lake into an ecotourism site.
Social media has been abuzz with various quarters including environmental non-governmental organisations (NGO) demanding the state government to cancel the approval.