Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Export Of Sand To Singapore Is Banned
Export Of Granite-Quarry Dust Allowed?

Granite and quarry dust totaling approximately about 1.8 million metric ton were allegedly being exported to Singapore since two about months ago.

Three companies are said to be doing this export at a rate of 10,000 metric tons per day.

The granite and quarry dust are from one quarry in Negeri Sembilan. They are being transported by lorries to Port Dickson before being exported on barges using the Straits of Malacca.

This information was being communicated to me through telephone by a person who wanted to remain anonymous.

Before he called me today, the same person yesterday left a comment on my blog. Please click the link below to read his original comment in Bahasa Melayu.

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=29933783&postID=956324317298000394

The most salient points from his comment is that “at this very minute, an approximately 30,000 metric tons of granite and quarry dust are being shipped out to Singapore.”

I cannot do anything with such an incomplete information. Fortunately, he called me up today. He said he obtained my cellphone number from one of my old postings in www.kuda-kepang.blogspot.com

After introducing himself to me, he rattled out the above information.

He told me that he obtained the above information from one of his “inside men” working in a quarry in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.

He said, he was aware that under normal circumstances, it was not illegal to export boulders and quarry dust to Singapore.

But, he asked, was it legal to export the same materials to Singapore when the Malaysian government had already banned export of sand to the island republic since some years ago, during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration?

After that, he repeated his point which he left on my blog – "it is inappropriate for the Malaysian government to export materials which will contribute to Singapore enlarging its land area to double it present size within the next 20 years."

He concluded by saying that if the Indonesian authorities had already banned the export of boulders and sand to Singapore, why was the Malaysia government allowing such an export while there was a pending ban since some years ago?

I left all those questions unanswered. But, I am still seeking clarifications from “my friends inside” if the existing ban on sand to Singapore also covers granite and quarry dust.

At the same time, I am also still waiting for answers from “my friends within” on the alleged move to export sand to Singapore from Malacca. – Ruhanie Ahmad

3 comments:

Mika Angel-0 said...

the technical term which an Ir told me is Hydraulic Fill which can be marine sand or quarry dust or sand with the right silt and fines content, 30% or less.

if the ban is on a specified material than that is the loop hole that has to be closed if not tighten.

Johorean said...

This afternoon on my way back from SIngapore, I saw a column of trucks bring sand to SInapore. I believe they deliver sands to a concreate manufacturing plant in Sungei Kadut. I believe this is a long term contract.

Don't believe me, just go to Johor caseway with your camera. They appear usually after 5pm.

Johorean said...

Msian and S'pore leaders to go on cruise for talks
They will discuss new areas of cooperation including cross-border investments and tourism


May 09, 2007
Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Reuters) - Malaysian and Singapore leaders will go on a cruise next week for talks on new areas of cooperation including cross-border investments and tourism, Malaysia's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Singapore and Malaysia, briefly joined in a federation after independence from Britain before they split up in 1965, have deep economic ties, but relations have sometimes been prickly.

Singapore and Malaysia have quarrelled over decades-old issues including water supplies, race and rail links.



"They will be able to add value to currently what is seen as very strong bilateral relations," Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told a media briefing. "The environment is very good, the chemistry never been better."

Malaysia, trying to boost its trade-dependent economy in face of competition from China, is aggressively wooing Singapore investments into its emerging economic zones, especially in the southern Johor state bordering Singapore.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong will meet in Langkawi on May 14 before embarking on the cruise the following day, diplomats said.

REUTERS