Illegal sand dredging in Kedah

By SIRA HABIBU

ALOR STAR: The sand used in Penang Port Sdn Bhd’s (PPSB) reclamation project in Butterworth is believed to be sourced illegally in Kedah.
It is learnt that the sand came from ongoing illegal sand dredging activities in Pulau Songsong and its vicinity, which was highlighted by The Star and TV9 recently.


Bootleg sand: Sand-dredging activity carried out within 500m from Pulau Songsong shores in Kedah. This was highlighted recently by The Star and TV9.It has been verified that the subcontractor of PPSB’s main contractor had signed a deal with another company to source for sand for the reclamation project for the second phase of the North Butterworth Container Terminal.

The sand dredging activity is going on in a restricted area used by the Armed Forces for training and fishermen have complained of gross depletion of fisheries resources in the area following the dredging activities.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid confirmed that the dredging activities in Pulau Songsong and its vicinity was illegal.

He has asked the Yan District Office to investigate and take action.

Mahdzir said he had received reports that a certain company had a permit to remove ammunition shells from the seabed.

But the permit holder denies being involved.
Harun Yahaya of Penang-based Syarikat Shahidin, said he had complained to the relevant authorities from May last year that another company was involved in illegal sand dredging activity.

“I complained to the Defence Ministry in May last year. The ministry had issued a warning letter asking the operator to leave the area. But the operator never left.

“I also informed the Yan Land Office on July 23. I informed the northern region marine department on Dec 11 on the illegal presence of the barge off Pulau Songsong and the vicinity.

“I also lodged a police report in Yan on Dec 15 to complain that a another company was using forged documents to gain access to the restricted area.

“But all my complaints fell on deaf ears until the media highlighted the matter,” he said.
Harun lodged another report at the Jelutong police station in Penang on Feb 15 to deny any involvement in the illegal sand dredging activity.

“I gave the police copies of all the letters sent to the Marine Department and the Defence Ministry. I need to clear my name. I want the authorities to take action against the impostor,” he said.

PPSB managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said: “If it is illegal, we certainly do not condone it.”