SAM seeks probe on activist's death

Apr 30, 09 12:11pm

The police has been urged to thoroughly investigate the death of farmer and environmental activist Chong Sow Pin who was found dead in a plantation estate Tuesday.

Environmental activist group Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president SM Mohd Idris said Chong was found dead in his plantation in Raub under mysterious circumstances.

"He was missing for two days before family members and committee members mounted a search for him," Mohd Idris said in a statement yesterday.

Chong is among the key figures in the ad hoc committee formed by community members of Kampung Baru Bukit Koman, located in Raub, Pahang to stop a nearby gold mine which uses the deadly chemical cyanide in its activities.

It is learnt that Chong, like many villagers in Kampung Baru Bukit Koman, was fearful for his health since the gold mine started operations in February this year and stayed alone in the plantation, which is 8km from the mine.

According to Mohd Idris, the Bukit Koman community had suffered from "bad odour and noxious fumes" at least four times since February.

"The odour caused residents to suffer from breathing difficulties, nausea, vomiting and headaches," he said.

'Police harassment'

In a related development, Mohd Idris also claimed that Chong and three fellow community activists - Wong Kin Hoong, Hue Fui How and Mustapha Hussin - were subject of police harassment.

The four are applicants in a suit against the gold mine operator.

bukit koman gold mining cyanide 010207 villageIn his statement, Mohd Idris listed four instances of alleged harassment in the form of telephone calls about their whereabouts and movements, repeated questioning on whether the committee would hold demonstrations and late night detentions.

On April 20 and 21, a total of six committee members were detained at night, purportedly for trespassing at the gold mine. The six have been ordered to appear in court on May 8, said Mohd Idris.

"The said persons are retirees whose families have lived in Bukit Koman for generations and are respected members of the society. They have at all times cooperated with the police.

"The manner in which the police acted was unnecessarily harsh and serves only to intimidate the community. What is more important is that the police reports filed by the community regarding the mining operations have been ignored," he said.

The gold mine is within close proximity of Kampung Baru Bukit Koman and residents claim that the Environmental Impact Assessment report for the project did not comply with the
Environment Quality Act.

Political and royal links

bukit koman gold mining cyanide 010207 company signThe Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd is a company which enjoys strong political and royal links.

The chairperson of the company is Andrew Kam, son of former MCA secretary-general Kam Woon Wah.

Pahang princess Tengku Nong Fatimah Sultan Ahmad Shah and her ex-husband Mohamed Moiz JM Ali Moiz are shareholders.

Mohamed Moiz is also a non-executive director of the company, according to the company's website.

Meanwhile, the company is also collaborating with the Pahang Development Board in prospecting and goldmining operations in the state.

Official cause of death

In a related development, the police today said Chong did not die due to cyanide poisoning but instead it was a heart attack that had killed him.

Raub police chief Wan Mohd Samsuddin Wan Osman said the cause of death was confirmed by the Raub Hospital.

He said that Chong was found dead in a seated position in his durian orchard in Tranum, near Raub on Tuesday night.

"The police then brought him to the Raub Hospital for post-mortem which revealed that he died as a result of a heart attack," he was reported as saying by Bernama.

The police officer also revealed that Chong was detained by the police on April 21 for an investigation into an alleged trespass into the gold mine. He was released the same day.