20/04/2011 (Borneo Post) - All earthwork activities in POIC Lahad Datu will only commence if the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is approved, said Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan.

Tan said this when asked to comment on the allegations made by the Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA) that earthwork activities in phase three of the palm oil industrial cluster had not complied with the EIA requirement.

Tan responded, “I don’t think that there is anything that was done in POIC that is not in compliance with environmental requirements.”

According to him, no work has commenced in the new phase at POIC.

“Phase three is not near the shore but if we are to carry out further reclamations, we will conduct an EIA on the site because we do not want to destroy the marine life there.

“We have to comply with the requirements. I am not disputing it and would like to stress that we are very concerned about the environment as any NGO would. There is no reason to say that I am in the industrial sector and always in disagreement with the environmental NGOs.

“I need as much support from them because our development in the industrial sector will be in a way different from those carried out in the other parts of Malaysia because our biodiversity is rich,” he stressed.

“In order to drive the industry we cannot do what other people do, including those in areas where there is no bio-diversity. I cannot accept what other places have, such as the kind of factories they build,” he said adding that in Sabah, higher technology needs to be engaged because of the rich biodiversity.

This is where cooperation is needed from the environmental NGOs which he hoped could come up with green technology for a win-win situation.

Tan also stressed that all businesses in POIC Lahad Datu are required to submit their plans of what type of industry they were going to set up and the level of emissions that would result from their activities.

“Until you have an EIA, we will not complete the sales and purchase and all current 23 operators in POIC Lahad Datu have had their EIAs done and they are qualified,” he said.