BERNAMA:Bukit Koman Residents Apply For Judicial Review

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) -- Residents of Kampung Bukit Koman, Raub, Pahang yesterday filed an application for a judicial review at the High Court here on the decision by the Director-General of Environment which approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposal for gold mining activity at Bukit Koman.

The EIA report was submitted by the Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (RAGMSB) on Aug 27 1996 and approved by the Director-General of Environment on Jan 13 1997, but according to the Action Committee Against the Use of Cyanide in the mining operations at Bukit Koman, the residents of Kampung Bukit Koman were not assured that the use of the cyanide would not affect their health and pollute their environment.

The application for the judicial review was filed by four representatives of the residents comprising Wong Kin Hoong, Chong Sow Pin, Hue Fui How and Mustapha Hussin at the High Court Registrar's Office (Appeals and Special Powers Division) through the legal firm Messrs Meena Raman & Partners and the applicants named the Director-General of Environment and RAGMSB as the first and second respondents respectively.

They are seeking for a declaration that the EIA report for the proposed mining and extraction of gold from the old mine at Bukit Koman which was submitted by RAGMSB to the Director-General of Environment did not meet the requirement and regulations outlined in Section 34A of the Environment Quality Act 1974 (AKAS).

Among other things, they are also seeking for a certiorary order to revoke the decision of the first defendant dated Jan 13 1997 which approved the EIA report, besides seeking for a declaration that the decision of the first respondent on Feb 21 which rejected the application by the action committee so that RAGMSB was required to prepare and provide a new and detailed EIA report was unfair and unreasonable.

-- BERNAMA