KUANTAN: The Pahang government should consider giving the green light for the proposed solar farming project on the former bauxite mining sites at Felda Bukit Goh here to allow the settlers to generate an income.

Sungai Lembing assemblyman Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri said chances to resume bauxite mining activities appear slim due to the potential air and water pollution so it is time to explore a new source of income.

"Maybe the Pahang government can consider approving the former sites for solar farming as most of the settlers are prepared to move on. Solar farming will help to solve the idle land issue at the settlement and allow the settlers to generate an income.

"I previously made two appointments to meet the state Land and Mines Office (PTG) to obtain a clear picture on the fate of the bauxite mining sites and stockpiles but the officer was unavailable. I am also hoping for a long term solution for the settlers," he said when contacted today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government does not plan to establish a new entity to regulate the rare earth element (REE) industry in the country, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said this is because the existing legal framework and Federal Constitution are already sufficient to manage and regulate the industry since the development of the mineral material is under the jurisdiction of the state government.

"...but we encourage local industries to be competitive by penetrating the REE industry market from upstream to downstream.

"We want to reduce dependence on foreign countries to develop the industry, and we are aware that it is among the strategic industries involved in geopolitical competition at the international level," he said at the winding up of the Supply Bill 2025 for his ministry, at the Dewan Negara today.

Therefore, moving forward, Nik Nazmi said the government has recently established a special task force to discuss issues and set the direction for the development of the REE industry at all levels.

Meanwhile, on the proposal for the federal government to be the mediator to resolve the Kedah state government's claim against Penang regarding contribution to the cost of conserving the Ulu Muda Kedah forest which is a source of water supply for both states, Nik Nazmi said this matter needs to be viewed holistically.

He understood the issue raised by the Kedah state government was because there are several river basins in the country across state borders and therefore it requires the government to come up with an integrated river basin management plan.

"In the Kedah-Penang context, they (Kedah) feel that for the water supply in Penang, the Kedah government has a burden or responsibility to preserve the area but in the current legal or constitutional framework, there is no provision (for joint river basin management).

"In Australia, there is (provided in the legislation) regarding integrated river basin management. In our country, it has indeed been proposed but has not yet received agreement at the state level.

"In this regard, it needs to be discussed further so that a win-win solution can be created to safeguard the issue or water supply in each state," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu in her winding up for the ministry said that 31 out of 155 local authorities (PBTs) have implemented the policy of one percent employment opportunities in the public service for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), to date.

She said the appointments involved 18 PwDs as council members and 146 PwDs as PBT employees, whether permanent, temporary or contract.

"The government fully supports the efforts of PBTs to uphold the involvement of PwDs in their respective organisational structures and service delivery systems, in line with the desire to uphold the interests of an inclusive, fair and inclusive public service," she said. - BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Dis (Bernama) -- Kerajaan tidak bercadang untuk menubuhkan satu entiti baharu bagi mengawal selia industri berkaitan unsur nadir bumi (REE) di negara ini, kata Menteri Sumber Asli dan Kelestarian Alam Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Beliau berkata hal ini kerana kerangka perundangan dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan sedia ada sudah pun mencukupi untuk mengurus dan mengawal selia industri terbabit memandangkan pembangunan bahan mineral berkenaan adalah di bawah bidang kuasa kerajaan negeri.
"... tetapi kita menggalakkan industri tempatan untuk berdaya saing dengan menembusi pasaran industri REE bermula daripada peringkat huluan sehinggalah hiliran.
"Kita hendak mengurangkan kebergantungan kepada negara-negara luar untuk membangunkan industri, tetapi kami maklum bahawa ia adalah antara industri strategik yang terlibat dalam persaingan geopolitik pada peringkat antarabangsa," katanya semasa sesi penggulungan Rang Undang-Undang Perbekalan 2025 bagi kementeriannya di Dewan Negara hari ini.
Justeru, untuk bergerak ke depan, Nik Nazmi berkata kerajaan telah menubuhkan satu pasukan petugas khas baru-baru ini bagi membincangkan isu-isu serta menetapkan hala tuju pembangunan industri REE di semua peringkat.
Sementara itu, berkenaan cadangan agar kerajaan Persekutuan menjadi orang tengah untuk menyelesaikan tuntutan Kerajaan Negeri Kedah terhadap Pulau Pinang berhubung sumbangan kos pemuliharaan hutan Ulu Muda Kedah yang menjadi sumber bekalan air bagi kedua-dua negeri, Nik Nazmi berkata perkara ini perlu dilihat secara menyeluruh.

Beliau memahami isu yang dibangkitkan oleh Kerajaan Negeri Kedah itu kerana terdapat beberapa lembangan sungai di dalam negara merentas sempadan negeri, oleh itu ia memerlukan kerajaan hadir dengan rancangan pengurusan lembangan sungai bersepadu.
"Dalam konteks Kedah-Pulau Pinang ini, mereka (Kedah) merasakan untuk bekalan air di Pulau Pinang, kerajaan Kedah ada beban ataupun tanggungjawab untuk memelihara kawasan berkenaan, tetapi dalam rangka perundangan atau perlembagaan yang ada buat masa ini, belum ada lagi dinyatakan (pengurusan lembangan sungai bersama).
"Kalau di Australia, ada (diperuntukkan dalam perundangan) tentang soal pengurusan lembangan sungai secara bersepadu. Di negara kita, memang pernah dicadangkan, tetapi belum lagi mendapat persetujuan pada peringkat negeri-negeri.
"Sehubungan dengan itu, ia perlu dibincang lebih lanjut agar penyelesaian menang-menang dapat diwujudkan untuk menjaga isu ataupun bekalan air di setiap negeri," katanya.
Sementara itu, Timbalan Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu dalam penggulungan bagi kementerian itu berkata sebanyak 31 daripada 155 pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) telah melaksanakan dasar satu peratus peluang pekerjaan dalam perkhidmatan awam kepada Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU), hingga kini.
Beliau berkata lantikan itu membabitkan sebanyak 18 OKU sebagai Ahli Majlis dan 146 OKU sebagai warga kerja PBT sama ada secara tetap, sementara atau kontrak.
"Kerajaan amat menyokong penuh usaha PBT memartabatkan penglibatan OKU dalam struktur organisasi dan sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan masing-masing, seiring hasrat mengangkat kepentingan perkhidmatan awam yang inklusif, adil dan terangkum," katanya.
-- BERNAMA