‘It Wasn’t Me’: Pahang MB Rejects Responsibility for Bauxite Fiasco

‘It Wasn’t Me’: Pahang MB Rejects Responsibility for Bauxite Fiasco

Whoever may be responsible, it isn’t me. That seems to have been the attitude of officials in the Malaysian state of Pahang, where hazardous chemicals from bauxite mines have inflicted untold damage on local ecosystems through the unscrupulous actions of local operators. The latest official to reject responsibility for the…

Environment Minister Mulls Harsher Penalties for Polluters

Environment Minister Mulls Harsher Penalties for Polluters

Protecting Malaysia’s unique natural environments is in the collective interest of all Malaysians, yet citizens of the country, individually and collectively, often end up doing more harm than good to their environments through reckless actions and irresponsible choices. Corporations can be especially guilty of placing profits ahead of the good of…

Bauxite in Malaysia | It’s in the Water

Bauxite in Malaysia | It’s in the Water

It appears that some of Malaysian resident’s worst fears concerning the irresponsible bauxite mining sweeping parts of their country may have come true – traces of known bauxite contaminants have been discovered in treated water. A December analysis of treated water in and around bauxite mining hotspot Kuantan revealed the…

Bauxite in Malaysia | Monsoons could mean Mayhem

Bauxite in Malaysia | Monsoons could mean Mayhem

As the monsoon season approaches in Malaysia, a wave of anxiety larger than normal is washing over areas of Pahang used for bauxite mining.  Flooding is normally a big problem for the port city of Kuantan, but the many open-pit bauxite mines dug this year threaten to unleash torrents of…

Bauxite Mining already Tainting Malaysia’s Water Supply?

Bauxite Mining already Tainting Malaysia’s Water Supply?

Bauxite mining in Malaysia – and the heavy metal contamination it sews across land, air and water – is coming under increasing scrutiny as its industrial activity causes more and more public and environmental health problems. The latest in a series of worries including cancer risks, economic upset, groundwater corruption…

Request for Ban on Bauxite Mining Highlights Malaysia’s Latest Addiction

Request for Ban on Bauxite Mining Highlights Malaysia’s Latest Addiction

The debate surrounding Malaysia’s bauxite mining industry is nearing a fever pitch.  National bauxite exports have exploded from around 100,000 tons in 2013 to over 2.5 million last year to what could be more than 20 million for 2015.  Legal and illegal mining operations have sprung up everywhere, spreading carcinogenic…