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, says Borneo Cement (Sabah) Sdn Bhd (BCS) chairman Datuk Masiung Banah.
He said that 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 before the factory was proposed," he said in a statement.
"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 that they have already obtained 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," Masiung, who is also Kuamut assemblyman, added.
The issue of logging taking place for the project in the central Sabah district was raised by the Opposition Parti Warisan during last week's Sabah state assembly meeting.
The Opposition also questioned the practicality of the remote location for the cement factory.
The project, which will cost RM1.2bil, is a joint venture between the state government, Sri Alam Setia Sdn Bhd that established BCS and Sinoma Industry Bhd, China's largest cement manufacturing company.
An area of 202ha of clinker area was gazetted to the Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco) for the project and another 80ha was provided for BCS for the quarry site, office, factory and workers' quarters.
