SUNGAI PERAK POLLUTION: MINING ACTIVITIES ORDERED TO HALT TEMPORARILY - MB

IPOH, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Parties conducting mining activities in the upper reaches of Sungai Perak near Gerik, suspected of causing the river water in the area to turn bluish, have recently been ordered to temporarily halt operations.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the operators hold valid licences.

“They are operating legally. For now, they have stopped operations until we are satisfied with the report and study. We will provide an update tomorrow,” he told reporters after officiating the Perak MADANI Taat Setia Roadshow here today.

Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Perak State Secretary Datuk Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim, and Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia (AKM) director-general Datuk Dr Roslan Hussin.

He said this when asked about the development of the water issue in the upper reaches of the Perak River near Gerik, which turned bluish last week, allegedly due to mining activities in the nearby area.

Saarani said he had also instructed the State Secretary and heads of relevant departments - including the Department of  Irrigation and Drainage, Department of Minerals and Geoscience, Land and Mines Office, District Offices and the Health Department - to take note of and investigate the issue.

“So I will not issue any statement until the relevant departments conduct their studies and present their findings,” he said.

“Yesterday, I contacted the director of the state Minerals and Geoscience Department. Tomorrow, a meeting will be held, to be chaired by Perak Deputy State Secretary (Development) Puan Halizah Sipun, and a briefing report will be presented to the state executive council (exco) meeting,” he said.

He added that he will issue a statement after the exco meeting tomorrow.

When asked whether the river water was safe for consumption, Saarani said: “Based on initial information, there were reports of dead fish, which indicates there was pollution at that time. We will receive further information from the state health department tomorrow.”

Two days ago, the Department of Environment (DOE) identified three mining operations in the upper reaches of Sungai Perak in Gerik, following reports that the river had recently turned bluish. The affected area involved a rare earth element (REE) mining site and two tin mining sites.

On Oct 21, a photo showing the waters of Sungai Perak at the Kampung Sungai Papan bridge, about five kilometres north of Kampung Air Ganda in Gerik, appearing unusually blue, went viral on social media.

--BERNAMA