No compromise for mines violating regulations

The Perak Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG) is maintaining a firm stance on enforcing regulations for mining activities in Hulu Perak, ensuring consistent oversight despite monitoring data indicating that the Sungai Perak's water quality remains within acceptable Class II standards. Nizarulikram Abdul Rahim, Director of JMG Perak, emphasized that all mining operations must adhere to stringent conditions, particularly concerning wastewater management, pollution control, and effluent discharge.

According to Rahim, mining wastewater must be managed within a controlled system and cannot be released into rivers without proper treatment that meets established parameters. "Miners fundamentally cannot discharge water at will. The water must be reused, and if for any reason it needs to be released, it must be treated first according to the set regulations," he stated during a media briefing.

JMG records show that three companies, Rahman Hydraulic Tin Sdn Bhd (RHT), MCRE Resources, and Nalidah Tin Mine, previously faced a three-week operational suspension in November 2025. They were also instructed to implement pollution control mitigation measures. MCRE Resources' suspension was extended in December due to non-compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements and a Work Stoppage Order (PBK) from the Department of Environment (JAS), only being allowed to resume operations in January after the PBK was lifted.

Most recently, RHT was again subjected to a temporary operational suspension on August 12. This action followed JMG's detection of acidic water discharge with pH readings between 2.29 and 2.33 from Detention Ponds 4 and 5. The inspection occurred after heavy rainfall on August 3, where approximately 60 millimeters of rain fell within an hour, exceeding the design's maximum intensity of 50 millimeters for RHT's existing drainage and tailings pond system. "When JMG visited the site, it was found that untreated water was being discharged into the river. So we temporarily stopped their operations until they present a mitigation proposal," Rahim explained.