KOTA KINABALU: The Industrial Development Ministry has agreed to work together with environmental organizations and look into their recommendations on how to protect the environment and at the same time complement industrial development.
Its minister, Datuk Raymond Tan, said he would look at what the ministry could do in protecting the environment while driving the industry.
“It doesn’t mean that when I push the industry, I will be chopping down all the trees or chasing all the monkeys. No.
“I will look into the requirements from the environmental group if we are undertaking developments. For example in earth moving, we must refer to the environmental group to understand the guidelines,” he said after discussing with Sabah Environment Protection Association (SEPA) president Wong Tack who met him at the lobby of Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort after launching the oil, gas and palm oil forum yesterday.
Tan and Wong discussed the dissatisfaction of SEPA over the action of the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu to chop down about 600 acres of mangroves in POIC that would negatively impact the environment.
According to Wong, there are about 6,000 acres of mangroves in the 4,500-acre POIC project that could be saved. He is seeking Tan’s immediate action to stop the activity.
As for Tan who is very serious in going green on the POIC project, he said if POIC were going to export its products to Europe, it must be green products, otherwise they would be rejected.
“I will go back to Lahad Datu and tell them that this should not be happening. I want to stop all this,” he added.
Meanwhile, Wong said the reason for him meeting Tan after the function yesterday was because of his responsibility as president of SEPA to meet the minister-in-charge of industrial development to tell the situation in Lahad Datu as he (Tan) can be a leader in protecting the environment while developing the industry.
“We know that the industry can bring serious harm but also bring good to the state economy.
“Since he (Tan) believes that the environment and industry can exist side by side, we want to see serious action in the planning process,” he added.