KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government is creating new opportunities for the people, especially those in the low-income group and irregular workers, by opening official licence applications for manual gold panning activities starting Jan 1.
The move is seen as a balanced effort by the state government to help improve the people’s economy while ensuring gold panning is carried out in a controlled, safe and environmentally friendly manner.
Kelantan Land and Mines director Nik Raisnan Daud said the current gold price is around 918 riyals (about RM565.77 per gramme) for 916 gold, with possible fluctuations of up to 100 riyals.
"The state government is of the view that small-scale panners are still able to participate in this activity, especially those who depend on daily income and irregular jobs," he told Bernama.
He said the safety and well-being of the local community are priorities, with plans to gazette certain areas to ensure the activity is conducted in a controlled manner without affecting villagers.
Nik Raisnan said the main condition is that gold panning activities are only allowed manually, without large-scale machines, to avoid environmental damage and safety risks.
He added that the number of applications received so far was encouraging, but each would be scrutinised according to set conditions, with priority given to the less fortunate to help them increase their income legally.
Gold panner Ramzu Zaman Yusuf, 52, welcomed the move, saying it would greatly benefit the local community, especially the low-income group.
"I intend to submit an official application to the state PTG this week. With a licence, work is more controlled and legal, in addition to facilitating state government monitoring. The people are also not afraid to continue panning activities," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fauzan Mohd Zain, 48, an operator of a rest area in Jeli who has applied for a licence, is awaiting approval and further conditions following the introduction of the licence for the first time by the state government.
He said applicants need to wait for further announcements, including the determination of the panning area, the type of equipment allowed and the enforcement method, with the state government expected to provide details soon.
"A gold panning licence involves a payment of RM100 for the application and RM100 after approval. However, this activity is only allowed on a small scale and is subject to additional conditions according to current needs because it is different from the mining licence that has been introduced long before," he said.
He added that despite the conditions and fees, gold panners remain interested in applying for a licence to ensure their activities are legal and orderly.
