Selangor losing half a million ringgit per day to sand thieves

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SELANGOR can be considered the hotbed for illegal sand mining in the country with the state said to be losing about RM500,000 a day from sand stealers.

The issue of sand mining has been a hot issue in Selangor over the last 10 years with certain quarters alleging that millions of ringgit are being raked in by syndicates.

On the move: Rampant movement of heavy machinery and vehicles spotted in Rawang.

State exco for modern agriculture, natural resources and entrepreneur development Yaakob Sapari had said previously that the state government was losing RM100mil annually from syndicates mining sand illegally.

Among the sand theft hotspots are Serendah in Hulu Selangor, Dengkil in Sepang, Jenderam in Sepang, Kundang, Kuang, Rawang, Kajang, Bestari Jaya in Kuala Selangor, Banting and Bukit Beruntung.

When Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor in March 2008, it pledged to resolve the sand mining theft problem by setting up a consortium — Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) — to look into streamlining all sand mining activity in the state.

Ironically, the setting up of the consortium has also sparked controversy involving the Selangor Government with some quarters claiming that the consortium was not effective in curbing the illegal activity.

A tonne of sand from the illegal quarry costs about RM40.

There were also allegations that government officials including from the state, district land offices and enforcement personnel from various other departments were working with the syndicates.

Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam had last month lodged a police report accusing KSSB of being embroiled in graft. He tendered a statutory declaration made by sand mining contractor Cheong Hoong Wooi alleging that he was asked to pay more than the stipulated price for sand and was also asked to pay a commission.

Cheong also alleged that KSSB marketing manager Wong Swee Leong had told him over drinks one night that he would have to pay RM1 per metric tonne in commission for future purchases.

He added that he was first offered a price of RM12.50 per metric tonne but it was revised to RM14 on KSSB executive director Ramli Abd Majed’s instructions.

However, the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) found insufficient evidence of corruption in the state government’s sand mining company Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB).

Fresh tracks: Excavator tyre marks where the machine had dug the sand in its illegal sand mining activity in Kuala Langat.

Over the past few months, StarMetro had highlighted sand theft taking place at various loactions in Selangor such as Dengkil and Jenderam in Sepang, Sungai Kuang in Kundang, Kuala Garing in Rawang, Kampung Rinching in Semenyih and Banting in Kuala Langat.

When contacted, state local government commmittee chairman Ronnie Liu said that the state had appointed Selangor State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud as the person in charge of monitoring sand thefts.

Ongoing: An excavator is seen in the bushes stealing sand in Bukit Beruntung.

He said he was responsible to oversee the enforcement operation conducted by the various district land offices.

“Kumpulan Semesta was only responsible for the sale of sand while it is the duty of the land offices to check illegal sand mining activities. The state secretary will be monitoring the the land offices,’’ he said, adding that the state had made more than RM10mil from the sale of sand for the first six months of this year.