KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 6): Putrajaya's move to impose a three-month moratorium on all bauxite mining activities in Pahang starting January 15, to address the pollution it caused was just a "reactionary measure" to the “red sea” phenomena along Pantai Balok, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said today.

In an immediate response to natural resources and environment minister's announcement today on the moratorium, Fuziah said she had mixed feelings about the move.

"The three-month freeze is very short. I noticed he just mentioned about the stockpile. To me, it is more of a reactionary measure to the red sea phenomena."

Fuziah added that the announcement failed to mention and address problems related to mining activities, and excavation works being done near waterways and upstream areas to the water intake point.

"I am very concerned because this activity must be stopped. This is the source of contamination to our rivers and drinking water."

The minister, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Wan Jaafar, in a press conference today, had said the moratorium would be extended indefinitely if the industry failed to “contain” the pollution problem within three months.

But he added that the government was not looking towards banning bauxite mining activities entirely.

“This morning we had a Cabinet meeting, and now we leave it up to the industry. If the industry wants to manage this environment issue, it can be done in three months.

“But if it cannot carry this out in three months, then we will extend the moratorium,” Wan Junaidi told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Fuziah, responding to the move, said the government and the enforcement agencies would face "greater" difficulty in handling the issue if no proper regulations and enforcement were put in place.

She said the committee to overlook the moratorium must also comprised experts and the voice of the people.

"We must be able to scrutinise plans and the plans to regulate the activities must be transparent. It has to be within the framework to regulate and has to be able to enforce it effectively."

She added that rehabilitation measures were also necessary.

"I think a win-win situation will be a sustainable bauxite mining plan. Failing which, a total ban. That's the principles that we must follow."

Fuziah said the government needed to be clear in what were they referring to as "hotspots".

"I noticed he just mentioned about stockpile. He just mentioned about licences to remove earth from the hotspots were frozen. But, no definition of hotspots."