SUNGAI PETANI: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has raised concerns about the absence of any investigation by the Kedah Land and Mines Office (PTG) regarding the rare earth element (REE) theft incident in Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve, Sik, seven months ago.
Saifuddin said PTG director Datuk Md Suhaimi Abd Rahman should explain the reason why the agency has yet to investigate the theft of 360 sacks containing REE minerals uncovered in January.
"On Sept 26, 2022, a lorry was detained and the authorities have seized 185 sacks containing REE mineral.
"The state Forestry Department, Department of Mineral and Geoscience (JMG) and PTG had launched a probe and subsequently PTG issued a compound to MBI (Menteri Besar Incorporated) because it owns the land and the one that paid the fine was paid by an individual named Ho Chung Meng," Saifuddin said in his speech at the launching of Unity Kedah manifesto and candidates introduction in Bandar Laguna Merbok here yesterday.
Saifuddin said on Jan 31, this year, the Forestry Department and the Immigration Department conducted another raid and detained 52 people for stealing REE minerals.
He said the raiding team had seized another 360 sacks and among those detained was Huang Zhiyi, who was employed by MBI, of which Sanusi is the chairman.
Saifuddin said following the raid, the Forestry Department and JMG had launched an investigation and subsequently submitted the investigation papers to the state Legal Advisor and the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry respectively.
"I want to ask the state PTG director, the first man (arrested in Sept 2022) caught with 185 sacks of REE minerals was slapped with a compound.
"As for the other 360 sacks, I want to ask you PTG director...
"My question is, if in the first case you issued a compound to MBI, why no investigation under Kedah Mineral Enactment being carried out on the theft involving 360 sacks until today?
"It has been seven months, why there is no investigation launched. Who are you trying to protect?" he asked.
Saifuddin also hit out at caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for claiming that he did not know about Huang Zhiyi's status.
"The story is all about MBI being the employer of Huang Zhiyi. He came here from China because Sanusi who is also the MBI chairman wrote a letter to the then Home Minister to apply work permits for 10 engineers and 21 general workers from China.
"Yet, when the reporters asked Sanusi, he said he did not know. How come he doesn't know, Huang Zhiyi name was mentioned in letter.
"If he has no idea what he had signed for, this poses a danger to all official letters involving the state government.
"It only fuelled our argument to urge the people in Kedah to reject him (Sanusi) for not knowing what he had signed," said Saifuddin.