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Perak to reopen mining land Perak to reopen minlng land
Humayun Kabir
THE SUN
IPOH (June 2, 2008):
With prices of minerals in the world market reaching record levels, the Perak government has announced it is tapping the state's mineral resources by reopening mining land and issuing permits for the development of the mining industry.
"The state will issue licences and give permits to further open up the mining industry. The companies undertaking such projects must first ensure the quality of minerals is high and they can sustain the operation for a long period of time," said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin
"The companies must also undertake their own exploration of minerals, which will take at four to six months, after which permits will be issued early next year."
The prices of tin, iron ore and gold have increased four-fold in the last four years, due to huge demand from countries like China and India which are now industrial giants.
For instance, the price of tin soared from US$4,900 (RM16,048) per tonne in 2003 to US$20,000 today, while iron ore which was traded at US$31 (RM105) in 2003 is now trading at US$130 (RM442) per tonne. The price of gold has risen from US$363 (RM1,234) to US894 (RM3,040) per ounce.
Mohammad Nizar said if there is an urgent need for additional licences and permits for limestone quarries, the government will review the situation.
However, such operators must do their own survey and must ensure the project goes on for at least 30 years and to ensure the safety of residents living nearby, he said.
"They must produce the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and go high-tech to ensure emissions of dust and vibrations do not occur and the quarry must be located away from residential areas." he said after opening the National Geoscience Conference 2008.
Asked by reporters about the RM8 million development fund which was allegedly used up within 75 days by the previous Barisan Nasional government, Mohammad Nizar said if they had used up the money for the benefit of the people, it is acceptable.
However, he said if it was used for some other purpose like campaigning in the last general election, "we want the public to pass judgement on such wastage of public funds".
The development fund by the Federal government consists of RM75,000 allocation to each BN assemblyman with an additional RM100,000 given to each state exco-member.
Later, Minerals and Geo-science Department Malaysia director-general Datuk Yunus Abdul Razak said the Bill for the proposed Federal Mineral Development Act which will regulate the profession of geology, is expected to be passed in Parliament soon.
"Perak holds great potential in tapping natural limestone caves which are now used as temples, granite features, and former mining pools like Gunung Lang which can all be repacked for geo-conservation and geo-tourism," said Yunus who is Geological Society of Malaysia president.
Perak has a lot of tin and iron reserves, ex-mining sand used for construction and good reserves of clay in Taiping, Bidor and Tapah.
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New draw at Batu Caves Cave Saturday April 12, 2008
New draw at Batu Caves Cave
By FAZLEENA AZIZ
THE STAR
THE huge statue of the Hindu deity Lord Murugan with his vel (lance) has, for years, been catching the eye of visitors to the Batu Caves in Gombak, but now, it has a new attraction – the Cave Villa.
Barely a month has passed since it opened, but the Cave Villa has already drawn thousands of visitors from all over the world who have come to savour a cultural experience in a cave environment.
Deity incarnation: Nadaraja (centre), the symbol of the dance, is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is one of the many Hindu deities featured in the gallery.
The entrance to the Cave Villa beckons good fortune with a koi pond leading to the outdoor gallery that features a 10.4m-long veenai (Indian classical musical instrument) and tranquil surrounding.
The instrument was made by 200 students from the Indian Cultural Club of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Kedah.
There are three indoor galleries, which are illuminated by colourful lights to set the mood.
The first gallery, is the Valluvar Kottam, which is similar to the one in Chennai, India, where all 1,330 verses of the Thirukkural – the epic by the Tamil poet and saint Thiruvalluvar – are inscribed on the walls.
Going deeper into the cave, one will come to the Reptile Gallery or mini-zoo, where a variety of snakes, turtles, tortoises, terrapins and iguanas captivate visitors.
The Art Gallery houses life-like images of the Hindu deities and mythological figures – Ram with his wife Sita, Laxman, Bharath, Hanuman and Ganesh, to name a few.
Each statue portrays the deity as they are traditionally depicted, while some are portrayed in scenes, like the wedding of Lord Murugan with Devayanai held at the Tirupparankundram, in India.
Bird lovers, meanwhile, will undoubtedly be enticed by the prospect of seeing more than 50 species of colourful birds in a huge 186 sq metres aviary
Visitors may also take photographs with the birds.
To seal the deal, cultural performances of bharathanatyam and other classical Indian dances are staged for tourists.
Cave Villa chief executive officer K. Rajan said work on the project started in June last year.
“We use LED lights to set the mood as well as to create the desired effect inside the caves.
“The statues and sculptures were created by craftsmen from India, who took about eight months to renovate the galleries as well as work on the exterior artwork,” he said.
Wise ones: The three wise monkeys, which (from right) see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil.
Rajan said the mini-zoo was not quite finished, with about 20% of work still to be done.
“We are still gathering some of the materials and equipment needed for the animals.”
On the running of the mini-zoo, Rajan said a caretaker came in regularly to look after the animals. “They are fed and given veterinary care. We also take them out for natural sunlight occasionally,” he said, adding that the temperature in the mini-zoo was controlled.
According to him, there are maintenance personnel to look after the landscaping and take charge of the overall area.
To Rajan, the Cave Villa is a work in progress, and he is keen to add more items to draw visitors.
“We plan to include the roti canai and teh tarik show in our cultural show. The visitors will be govn free teh tarik and roti canai as part of the event,“ he said.
Rajan said more tourists were expected to come next month.
Cave Villa is open to the public and tour groups from 8am to 5pm daily.
There is also an evening show package (for tourists only) from 6pm to 10pm. For details, call 012-910 8389.
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12 new dams in Sarawak, 1 may affect Mulu In July 2008 it was reported in several places of Malaysian media that Sarawak wants to build 12 new dams for HEP. One of these, on the Tutoh, could possibly affect Mulu.
July 24, 2008 00:52 AM
Tutoh Dam Can Affect Mulu National Park's Heritage Site Status
KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Sarawak plans to build the Tutoh dam may affect the Mulu National Park's status as a World Heritage Site, said an environmentalist.
Centre for Environment Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM) Chairman Gurmit Singh told a news conference today that the proposed dam might submerge parts of the Mulu National Park.
The Tutoh dam is part of 12 new proposed hydroelectric projects in Sarawak to meet its future industrialisation needs.
"We have been reliably informed that the Director of the World Heritage Center has requested the Malaysian authorities, via its permanent delegation to Unesco, to clarify this situation on June 25.
"(It wants Malaysia) to provide further information on the hydropower plans to the World Heritage Center for review and comment by the World Conservation Union.
"Till today, they have yet to reply and that has been nearly a month ago," he said.
Gurmit Singh also called on the government to advise the Sarawak government to be cautious and not to rush into the development of energy intensive industries.
The firebrand nature lover said the repercussions to the environment with the development of Sarawak's 12 Dam project could be severe and irreversible.
He said the Sarawak's 12 Dam project was a reflection "on the shortsightedness and gaps in the nation's energy and environmental policies."
"The plan illustrated an energy planning strategy that is supply driven and inconsistent with the principles of sustainable development.
"It makes little sense to build 12 additional dams since Bakun Dam has the capacity to generate three times the amount of energy that is currently consumed by Sarawakians," he said.
Gurmit Singh said he was also willing to engage the Sarawak government in an open dialogue on the project.
Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum had said that the dams were necessary to meet energy demand.
The dams will be located in Ulu Air, Metjawah, Belaga, Baleh, Belepeh, Lawas, Tutoh, Limbang, Baram, Murum and Lanau rivers.
All these are in addition to the 2,400MW Bakun dam and will push the total generating capacity in the state to 7,000MW by 2020.
-- BERNAMA |
Ancient Burial Site Discovered In Batu Niah
KUCHING, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- A research team from the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the Sarawak Museum Department has discovered an ancient burial site, believed to be from the Neolithic period, at Gua Kain Hitam in the Niah-Subis limestone hills in Batu Niah, Miri division.
Sarawak Museum Department deputy director Ipoi Datan said Friday the excavations at the site, funded by the National Heritage Department in 2007 and the USM Research University Grant last year, has so far uncovered more than eight human skeletons, dating back 2,000 to 3,000 years ago.
"The human skeletons as well as the associated artifacts such as pottery, ornaments and food remains like shells and animal bones are currently being analysed in order to extract more information about the burials and lifestyles of the ancient people who lived in the Niah-Subis region during that time," he said in a statement here.
He said the new finding would not only enrich knowledge on the early history of Sarawak and the nation but also expected to attract more local and foreign tourists to visit the site, which is located in the Niah National Park.
The Sarawak Museum Department is asking for public cooperation in not disturbing or encroaching into the site as the finds had no commercial value but only contained valuable research and academic significance, he said.
-- BERNAMA |
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