BEAUFORT: Residents of Kampung Bintulanun want the authorities to investigate alleged river sand extraction activities in the area and also whether those transporting the sand to Lumahat have necessary permits.
A villager who identified himself as Ojin expressed concern over a site that has been fenced off with zinc sheets and is believed to be used for storing sand taken from the river.
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“We asked the landowner who the sand belonged to but he was hesitant to answer. In the end, he told us the sand belongs to a company and that he only allowed it to be stored there,” he said.
Ojin said residents want to know whether the government has issued a licence for the company to extract sand from the river, as both the Village Development and Security Committee and the village head were reportedly unaware of any such approval.
He said the community is not opposed to development projects but objects to activities that could have a negative impact on the village and its residents.
If the activity continues, the banks of the Sungai Padas could suffer serious erosion, ultimately affecting villagers.
“The way it is being done is not environmentally friendly and will worsen riverbank erosion,” he said.
He added that if the Sungai Padas riverbank collapses due to sand mining, the government may have to construct gabions to prevent further erosion, which would involve significant costs.
“We appeal to the authorities to stop the sand extraction activities to protect the environment and safeguard the interests of residents,” Ojin said.
