KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stand to lose about RM157.5 million a year if illegal sand mining and smuggling are not controlled in the country.Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigations director Mustafar Ali said the country would not only lose millions of ringgit but would also suffer negative impact, if illegal sand mining and smuggling were not checked or controlled.
"Malaysia is expected to suffer RM1.125 million a month or RM13.5 million a year through illegal activities carried out on land, using lorries, while sand smuggled via the sea, using barges, would incur RM12 million loses a month or RM144 million a year," he said at the Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia seminar here today.
The three-day seminar and meeting which ended today was organised by MACC, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and Pacific and attended by 200 delegates from 28 countries.Mustafar said more pro-active measures must be enforced by all the enforcement agencies and at the same time tighten up procedures to curb such activities.
"Such activities are rampant due to poor enforcement procedures and law or the illegal sand miners themselves are turning a blind eye to the damage such activities can cause to the eco-system and environment.
"Any system that is weak must be looked at and strengthened. The MACC aspires to take the lead with the help of other enforcement agencies so that those responsible can be hauled up to face the law," he said.
The MACC had detained 49 individuals from Selangor, Johor, Pahang and Perak for their involvement in sand smuggling syndicates this year.He also hinted that more would be detained.
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/10650-macc-illegal-sand-mining-may-cost-malaysia-rm1577m-yearly
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