KUALA LUMPUR: The Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, announced that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for a proposed bauxite mining project at Bukit Goh in Kuantan, Pahang, has not received approval. This follows the rejection of a previous EIA report for the same project in the same location.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Department of Environment (DOE) headquarters recently received a new submission for the proposed project, titled “Proposed Bauxite Mining Operation in Bukit Goh, Kuantan,” covering an area of 2,424.73 hectares in Mukim Kuala Kuantan, Pahang. The proponent of this project is BG Mining Sdn Bhd. This information was disclosed by Nik Nazmi in response to a query from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man during an oral answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

Nik Nazmi elaborated that all EIA reports undergo a thorough evaluation by the Environmental Impact Assessment Technical Review Committee (EIATRC). This committee comprises f
ederal and state-level technical agencies, appointed individuals, and non-governmental organisations. The committee considers all feedback and recommendations from stakeholders before making a decision on any submitted EIA report.

To improve the EIA process, the government has set five priorities: strengthening legal requirements, improving governance in EIA evaluations, empowering EIA procedures, digitalising the EIA process, and fostering robust public engagement. Enhancements in EIA enforcement are also part of the government’s agenda.

Nik Nazmi affirmed the commitment to updating the public on improvements to the EIA process, emphasizing its importance in safeguarding public health.