Acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Johari Ghani said foreign firms planning to invest in Malaysia’s REE mining must work closely with the states where the deposits are located. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign enterprises interested in mining rare earth elements (REE) in Malaysia must first commit to providing employment opportunities, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Johari Ghani said these companies must also coordinate with the states where the REE deposits are located as state governments share joint responsibility with the federal government in REE development.
“If firms want to carry out mining operations here, the states first need to determine where these operations can take place. They cannot operate arbitrarily,” Johari said.
“If the sites are outside permanent forest reserves, we need to assess the deposits’ quantity. If the deposits are substantial, can factories be established?
“Companies must also outline how much tax revenue the state governments will receive, the number of jobs created, and the corporate taxes they will pay. They must go through all these processes.”
Johari was responding to a supplementary question from Hassan Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang), who asked whether the reciprocal trade agreement between Malaysia and the US could allow foreign powers to exploit the country’s mineral resources, similar to the British exploitation of tin in Perak during the colonial era.
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