A band of housewives are among Kuantan’s most active opponents to rampant bauxite mining in the state, driven by concern at the slow response by authorities in dealing with the issue they believe has polluted their food and water supply. –
Fed up with delayed responses to their pleas, the housewives, who have joined the Coalition for Action Against Bauxite Pollution led by Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh (pic, right), have been volunteering their time to do simple tasks like taking water samples from rivers and distributing food. Wan Zurina Wan Ali, 32, a mother of one, said she felt the need to do “something”.
“(People from other states) may not understand what it feels like for us to breath polluted air. We experienced it daily. So I decided to approach Kuantan YB Fuziah Salleh and told her I wanted to contribute,” said Zurina. As a housewife, Zurina said she only could only spare a bit of time. “I only joined last month. I started like the rest of the housewives who were among the 100 volunteers in this loose coalition headed by Fuziah.” One of the first activities she participated in was the distribution of beef and lamb donated by an organisation to the houses in Balok area. The donor provided the meat out of concern that fish from rivers in the area might be contaminated with heavy metals like mercury. Bauxite is washed after it is mined from the ground and the water is kept in tailing ponds. But heavy rains in late December saw rivers and the Kuantan seafront turn red, triggering fears that the contaminated water had spilled over and polluted other water bodies. “I drove around to deliver the stocks to the houses. At the same time I attached leaflets on bauxite, and about how heavy metals affect our health,” Zurina said. Her neighbour, Norsuhana Rani, 44, a mother of three, also joined in. “I have a supportive husband. I can still volunteer if there is a need, be it at night or in the afternoon when the kids are at school,” Norsuhana said. Another volunteer, Maisara Ngah, 37, said she did not want to just stay at home as a housewife. “I may not have money or be very educated but I can spend time to help the coalition in any way I can,” she said. Maisara said it did not take one to be highly educated to know that uncontrolled bauxite mining would cause more harm than good. “I am worried when the mining gets out of hand. It damages nature and pollutes our drinking water and food,” she said. The three women are among 30 housewives who make up part of the more than 100 volunteers in the coalition headed by PKR lawmaker Fuziah. “They wanted to help and did not know how to. I usually post requests for help on my Facebook page, such as for the collection of water samples and the distribution of leaflets, and help will come,” Fuziah said. There are some 20 other non-governmental organisations who are part of the coalition, as well as people’s representatives, local communities and various professionals, she added. “The fight against rampant bauxite mining is not just my fight. I can lead, but everyone in the coalition is playing their part to make this a success.” Among the NGOs involved in the coalition are the Malaysian Nature Society, Sahabat Alam, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka), Himpunan Hijau, Pro Guam, Abim, Ikram and Heart. “We also have a group of doctors and scientist who have became our advisers,” she said. Fuziah set up the coalition to demand the suspension of bauxite mining, for stricter regulations and enforcement, and rehabilitation of the environment. The first demand has been met when Putrajaya announced a three-month freeze on all bauxite mining in the state from January 15. The federal and state government agreed to the moratorium to allow time to address pollution caused by the mining. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the moratorium would be extended indefinitely if the industry failed to contain the pollution within the moratorium period. The suspension followed threats by environmental watch group Peka Pahang to stage a human blockade on roads leading to mines and bauxite stockpile sites at the Kuantan and Gebeng ports. Peka Pahang president Khaidir Ahmad, a former TV3 news editor, blamed the state government for not heeding the people’s concerns. “It can be done in a right way. We can regulate the mining activites. We can even stop it if we want to because the licenses were issued by the state government. Why are we not doing that?” he asked. – January 9, 2016.(MUZLIZA MUSTAFA)
Link: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/fed-up-housewives-join-anti-bauxite-coalition
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