Sabah Parks director Dr Maklarin Lakim during a press conference in conjunction with 6th year anniversary for the gazettement of Tun Mustapha Park . - NSTP/Olivia Miwil
KUDAT: Silica sand mining activities in Sikuati here will be carried out with minimal environmental impact, said Sabah Parks director Dr Maklarin Lakim.
He said the project, signed between Sabah and Chinese investor SBH Kibing Solar New Materials (M) Sdn Bhd on Jan 18, is aimed at community development in the district.
"We will support it if it benefits the community. When the people get the development spillover, they will no longer need to harvest sea products.
"In terms of project implementation, we are confident that the government has a proper system and standard operating procedures.
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"Responsible departments will conduct studies including the environmental impact assessment and mitigation on how to avoid damages to the environment," he said, adding that the project would be done on land and not at the Tun Mustapha marine park.
Maklarin was speaking to reporters after the sixth anniversary of the Tun Mustapha Park, here.
The Tun Mustapha Park comprises more than 50 islands and islets off the north coast of Sabah, across Kudat, Pitas, and Kota Marudu.
Kudat district officer Bakri Nanun. - NSTP/Olivia
It is also home to the second-largest concentration of coral reefs in Malaysia, which contributes more than 12 per cent of Sabah's marine fisheries and aquaculture production with the value of RM184 million in 2017.
In a separate event, Kudat district officer Bakri Nanun said the project, which would involve about 2,200 acres, would provide job opportunities to 300 locals.
"This project will develop Kudat and secure jobs and help people there come out of poverty as all of us know that the district is one of the poorest in Sabah.
"There are a few protests, but it was not as aggressive as before. The villagers have to understand that they need to come out of poverty. We are hoping that they will accept it," he said, adding that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is expected to perform the ground-breaking of the project next month.
Kampung Andap Jawa village chief Sutiman Pardi showing the proposed site of SBH Kibing Solar New Materials (M) Sdn Bhd processing plant.- NSTP/Olivia Miwil
Kampung Andap Jawa village chief Sutiman Pardi said several discussions were held with the Kibing group on land acquisition, employment and other matters.
"The company has agreed not to disturb lands that have houses. For now, there are over 200 houses and the village is located about three kilometres from the beach.
"Kibing's spokesperson has also agreed to prioritise villagers here for 300 jobs, but will extend the offer to other villages in Kudat as well.
"Another concern is on the impact of the sand dredging whether it will cause collapse, pollution or other negative consequences to the village and surrounding areas," he said, adding he would propose minimum wage to be implemented.
Back in 2019, a similar project was proposed at Balambangan island here which is located within the 900,000ha Tun Mustapha Park, the largest marine park in the country.
In response to that, WWF-Malaysia had urged the state government to turn down the proposal due to concerns that sedimentation and soil erosion from the project would have unfavourable prevailing implications on the environment and the communities that rely on it.
