ALOR STAR: Police have detained a total of nine men, including both foreigners and locals, who were caught attempting to explore for rare earth elements (REE) in Compartment 35 of the Rimba Teloi Forest Reserve in Sik on September 14. Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh revealed that the suspects, aged between their 30s and 60s, have been charged under Section 47(1) of the National Forestry Act 1984 for illegally entering the forest reserve without a permit. Additionally, they are facing charges under Section 55B, Section 39B, Section 6(1)c, and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for various immigration offenses in the Baling Court.
“On September 14, the police and a team from the Kedah State Forestry Department conducted ‘Op Bersepadu’ in the Sik forest reserve area and seized three vehicles found in Compartment 35. Four local individuals, four Indonesians, and one Chinese national who were present at the scene were taken into custody,” stated Salleh during a press conference at the Kedah police contingent headquarters on Sunday, September 24. Initial investigations indicated that all the individuals were searching for suitable locations to explore for REE,” he added.
Salleh explained that none of the suspects possessed any permits to explore for REE in the area or even to enter the Rimba Teloi Forest Reserve. “The five foreign nationals entered the country using work permits; however, these permits were not intended for working in Kedah. We believe they have been in the area for around four months exploring REE, with their activities still in the early stages,” he said, emphasizing that this incident was unrelated to the previous REE case in the Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve in Sik.
Meanwhile, a local man along with eight Myanmar nationals were arrested in Changlun on September 20 for their involvement in migrant smuggling, according to Salleh. “The Kubang Pasu district police headquarters criminal investigation division and the Bukit Kayu Hitam Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, and Security complex apprehended the group in Taman Hosba, Changlun, at 5 pm. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the local man was accompanied by three women, one man, and a boy from Myanmar, all of whom did not possess valid travel documents,” he said.
Salleh further stated, “Based on the obtained information, at 5:45 pm the same day, the police arrested two Myanmar men and one woman in a rubber plantation area in Kampung Cherok Mokan, Changlun, which is suspected to be a transit point for newly arrived Myanmar nationals in Malaysia.” The case is currently being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 as well as the Immigration Act 1959/63.
– Bernama
Credit: The Star : News Feed
