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KOTA KINABALU: There is no forest clearing taking place at the site of the proposed clinker and cement factory in central Sabah’s Tongod district, Borneo Cement (Sabah) Sdn Bhd (BCS) chairman Datuk Masiung Banah said.
He said there are no more trees in the Kapor Hill area for the clinker and cement factory in Kampung Kayawoi.
“Initially, there were logs left in the low-lying areas where logging activities had been going on for the past few years, long before the factory was proposed.
“The claim that the company also engaged in logging while carrying out earthworks to build a road to the factory’s quarry site is not true,” he said after visiting the first phase of the work at one of the BCS quarry site locations in Kampung Susui.
He said they have already obtained the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval for the construction of the quarry site, earthworks and building a road to the location, which is dense with layers of limestone.
“We will strictly observe the EIA requirements. Our work progress is closely monitored by the environmental authorities,” said Masiung, who is also Kuamut assemblyman.
The issue of logging taking place at the project in the central Sabah district was raised by the opposition Parti Warisan assemblymen during last week’s State Legislative Assembly meeting.
They also questioned the practicality of the remote location of the cement factory.
The project, which will cost RM1.2bil, is a joint venture between the state government, Sri Alam Setia Sdn Bhd which established BCS, and Sinoma Industry Bhd, China’s largest cement manufacturing company.
A 202ha clinker area was gazetted to the Sabah Economic Development Corporation for the project and another 80ha was provided for BCS for the quarry site, office factory and workers’ quarters.
