Latest news with #Sarifuddin
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Express
Explain failure to activate chemical spill alert at gold mining: Warisan
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 Text Size: Sarifuddin urged the State Government to immediately halt all gold mining operations at the site pending a new Environmental Impact Assessment and to disclose the full list of toxic substances involved. Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan urged the State Government to explain its failure to activate emergency alerts after a dangerous chemical spill at a gold mining operation in Bukit Mantri, where sodium cyanide contamination was documented in a viral video. Video footage shows a breached containment pond leaking wastewater suspected to contain toxic cyanide compounds into the surrounding ecosystem. Despite the clear danger to nearby worker housing and downstream villages, no official warnings were issued to prevent use of potentially poisoned water sources. 'This failure of early warning systems and public safety measures is unacceptable,' said Merotai Assemblyman cum Kalabakan Warisan Chief Sarifuddin Hata, in a statement, here. 'Where is the emergency protocol? Why were not families warned not to use river water for drinking or bathing? This is not just about regulatory failure but a blatant disregard for human lives,' he said. He urged the State Government to immediately halt all gold mining operations at the site pending a new Environmental Impact Assessment and to disclose the full list of toxic substances involved. He also called for emergency safety protocols to alert and protect nearby residents. 'Environmental accidents can happen but silence and inaction in the face of a toxic spill is inexcusable. 'Gold is not worth more than the health of our people,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Express
Irresponsible for Water Department to blame UMS: Warisan
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 Text Size: 'The Department's attempt to blame UMS for pump and meter failures is misleading and unacceptable. This is a systemic failure, students are suffering and communities from Tuaran to Sepanggar are equally affected. The Department must stop making excuses and act immediately,' Sarifuddin said. Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan demanded the State Water Department take full responsibility for the water shortages plaguing Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and nearby areas, dismissing its recent claims as irresponsible finger-pointing. 'The Department's attempt to blame UMS for pump and meter failures is misleading and unacceptable. This is a systemic failure, students are suffering and communities from Tuaran to Sepanggar are equally affected. The Department must stop making excuses and act immediately,' said Kalabakan Division Chief Sarifuddin Hata, in a statement, Tuesday. The rebuke follows the Departments' statement attributing disruptions to internal campus infrastructure, which UMS Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor called an insult to students forced to protest over unmet basic needs. Kasim was quoted as saying that the root cause is the Department's inadequate supply, exacerbated by low water pressure in hilly areas and skewed distribution favouring low-lying zones despite UMS housing the main R13 storage tank. Warisan urged the State Government to intervene, warning that scapegoating the university only deepens public distrust while solving nothing. 'We stand with UMS and all affected residents. Clean water is a right, not a privilege,' said Sarifuddin, who is also Merotai Assemblyman. Meanwhile, the National Consumer Foundation Malaysia (Yayasan Pengguna Negara Malaysia, YPNM) Sabah Chapter demanded a public apology from the Water Department (JANS). YPNM Sabah Chairman David Chan said JANS' statement was misleading and damaging to UMS, a respected institution of higher learning with thousands of students and academic staff. 'To shift the blame to UMS by alleging internal pumping failures without proper consultation or technical verification is simply irresponsible,' he said, in a statement. Chan said UMS employs a team of qualified engineers and technical experts, many holding Master's and doctoral degrees, who are more than capable of diagnosing system issues. 'To suggest otherwise is a dismissive and disrespectful act that undermines the university's credibility,' he said. Chan called on the JANS Director to withdraw the claim and issue a public apology to UMS students, faculty and administration. He also urged the department to work collaboratively with the university to implement long-term solutions. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
3 days ago
- Daily Express
Halt gold mine ops pending new Environmental Impact Assessment
Published on: Monday, June 02, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 02, 2025 Text Size: Sarifuddin (left) and the collapsed embankment of a retention pond at the gold mine caused waste water including sodium cyanide to overflow into a nearby river. TAWAU: Merotai assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata urged the State Government to immediately halt the operations of Wullersdorf Resources Sdn Bhd (WRSB)'s gold mining activities until a new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is released. This call follows a recent incident involving a suspected toxic spill of sodium cyanide-contaminated water from a retention pond, which overflowed into nearby worker quarters—a situation captured in a 1-minute 20-second video that went viral. Sarifuddin described the collapse of the pond's embankment as a serious incident that threatens the health and safety of nearby communities and raises concerns about the environmental impact on surrounding flora and fauna. 'We've been informed that this is not the first time such a breach has occurred at the gold mining site. The issue only came to light recently due to the viral video,' he told Daily Express. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article. Support Independant Journalism Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News Exclusive News Invites to special events Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards 1-Year Most Popular (Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
