RANAU – Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (ANAK NEGERI), a local political pressure group, has urged the Sabah state government to reject any application for mineral prospecting license in the vicinity of Kg Bongkud Ranau.
Its President, Datuk Henrynus Amin, said this was not the first time a private company has applied for a prospecting license for the same area.
According to him, the previous attempt by Mamut Copper Mine and an Australian company to prospect gold at Kg Bongkud Ranau in the 1990s was rejected by then Sabah State Government following a strong opposition by affected villagers.
He said, then as an Member of Parliament for Kinabalu
(Ranau) in 1998, in line with the wishes of the affected villages, he objected strongly to the application for a prospecting license by a private company to an area near Kg Bongkud Ranau.
For the record, he said, two representatives from Mamut Copper Mine met him twice in 1998 to seek political support for the prospecting license application.
“But on both occasions, I declined to give my support in line with the wishes of Kg Bongkud villagers led by the late Mr. Sisan Atong, a local community leader, who were strongly opposed to the mining proposal.”
“Also for the record, based on my recollection, the villagers from Kg Bongkud who were opposed to the prospecting license application by a mining company was represented by their then lawyer, Datuk Jonathan Yasin, who is now the incumbent Member of Parliament for Ranau.”
For that matter, Henrynus has called for transparency in the issuance of mineral prospecting license to a private company in an area in the vicinity of Kg Bongkud Ranau.
Henrynus who was responding to a social media report on the matter also urged the local State Assemblymen for Pagination, to listen to the legitimate concerns of the affected villagers.
He said given the possibility of a mining operation in their vicinity if gold or other minerals were to be found, villagers have legitimate right to oppose the issuance of a prospecting license in Kg Bongkud and surrounding areas.
He said it is an established facts the gold mining operation near a heavily populated areas will have serious and far reaching social and environmental implication, not only to the environment but also the health of the local population.
He said gold mining process traditionally use toxic chemicals such as mercury to separate and collect gold nuggets which will certainly pollute streams and rivers including all the way to the Sugut river.
He said there are palian fish tagal projects, recreational activities such as white water rafting, outdoor fishing, riverside picnic and camping along Sugut River, not to mention Sabah Water Department water in take point near Kg Melinsou Ranau to supply water to more than all villages in Ulu Sugut Ranau.
He said the social, economic and environmental cost outweigh the benefits of allowing a private company to carry out gold mining operation in a heavily populated areas.
So he said before issuing any prospecting license to any private company to explore mineral deposits in the heavily populated areas of Kg Bongkud Ranau, the Sabah government should seriously consider the interest of the people first.
Henrynus reminded the Sabah State government to reflect on the bad experience of the Mamut Copper Mine.
He said the Sabah State Government should be reminded of the lingering environmental issues arising from the past experience or rather the mishandling of the environmental concerns in the aftermath of the Mamut Copper Mine.
He said the social cost as well as the huge environmental risk posed by mining operation must be explained to the people.
Further, he asked, “How much revenue did the government or the people of Sabah get from the operation of the Mamut Copper mine?”
“Was the revenue or benefits justified given the huge loss of thousands of acres of agriculture land rendered polluted and no longer suitable for agriculture.”
“Who would bear the cost of cleaning up the heavily contaminated Mamut Copper Mine now filled with very acidic and toxic water?”
“Has the current Sabah government considered the study made by Universiti Kebsngsaan Malaysia (UKM) on the abnormally high incidence of lead and related illness among children in Ranau district?”
Further, Henrynus who is from Ranau asked what happened to the 800 acre Lohan Dam where toxic waste from the Mamut Copper Mine were disposed off?”
He said the Lohan Dam is now largely abandoned, forgotten, neglected, and has become an eyesore to foreign tourists passing through when visiting Poring Hotspring.
He said surrounding villagers affected by the Lohan Dam have lost their land and source of livelihood. “How much compensation was paid to the land owners for their loss?
He said the Lohan river where toxic water from Mamut Copper Mine overflowed is polluted and the ecosystem dead until today.
In fact, he said areas along the Lohan River were flooded when the Mamut Copper Mine was still in operation spilling toxic chemicals which rendered all affected areas polluted and no longer suitable for agriculture.
After more than 30 years, who is to blame for the pollution and destruction of the Lohan River and affected villagers?
Meanwhile, Henrynus rejected the argument that the prospecting is only intended to find out the mineral deposits, not to actually carry out mining operation.
He said there should be no attempt to mislead local village leaders and the people of Ranau on the matter.
He asked, what is the use of doing prospecting for mineral deposits when there is no intention to carry out mining activities.
