KOTA KINABALU: The opposition has raised concerns about the environmental impact of a sand mining company operating in Kudat.
Chen Ket Chuin, a Parti Warisan Supreme Council member, expressed apprehension about a China-owned company's mining operation in Sikuati, Kudat, stating that it extracts 1,200 metric tonnes (MT) of silicon sand daily, totalling 400,000 MT annually.
"There is no compensation cost for the extraction of such huge volumes of silicon sand, and no consideration for rehabilitation or adaptation to Sabah," he said in a statement after visiting the factory on Jan 4.
Protests erupted in five villages, mostly by fishermen, following the announcement of the RM2 billion sand mining project in Sikuati in 2022.
Residents feared the activity could damage the surrounding environment. Conservationists and the diving community also expressed concerns, especially regarding the marine ecosystem, due to the construction of the jetty and contamination from the sand mining activity.
According to the Environment Protection Department Sabah website, there are three Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for the sand mining operations at Sikuati, Kudat.
The first mining area and the jetty have been approved, while another mining area is pending for approval.
Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Jan 18, 2022, the project was touted to create up to 2,000 job opportunities, with 80 per cent reserved for local workers.
Chen also urged the government to explore revenue-sharing arrangements with the company concerning the sale or export of glass made from the extracted sand.
He also raised concerns about the worsening electricity and water supply woes in the state following the upturn of industrialisation activities.