Gold miner sues news portals
(The Star) – Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (RAGM) has filed defamation suits against MToday News Sdn Bhd and MKini Dotcom Sdn Bhd over certain articles published by them in their news portals.
RAGM said its decision to take legal proceedings in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur was based on articles published by MToday and Aneesa Alphonsus of MToday, which runs news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT), as well as MKini (publisher of online news portal Malaysiakini), Lee Weng Keat, Wong Tech Chi and Victor TM Tan of MKini Dotcom Sdn Bhd.
“The articles published by the defendants are alleged to be prima facie defamatory of RAGM in its trade and business,” it said in a statement.
RAGM denied any allegation that the residents of Bukit Koman, Raub, had fallen ill due to the use of sodium cyanide at its plant.
“From the start of its business, the company has taken all reasonable steps and precautions as provided by the law to ensure the health and safety of its workers and residents generally,” it said.
It added that it was concerned that the “unsubstantiated and baseless allegations” had led to much confusion to people in and outside Bukit Koman.
“The plant has operated using sodium cynanide in its extractions process for over three years.
“There have been no reports adduced by medical experts or specialists to state that the alleged skin disease akin to those referred to by the defendants in their articles are solely due to the use of sodium cynanide by RAGM,” it said.
RAGM said it complied with all relevant laws and reiterated its commitment to ensure that necessary safeguards are in place.
On Sept 2, it was reported that Health Ministry deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said cyanide was not the cause of the skin ailments suffered by residents near Kampung Bukit Koman.
He said the first case affecting a resident was reported in March 2009 but follow-up checks showed no sign that it was linked to cyanide.
In RAUB, police recorded statements from three people as part of investigations into violations of two conditions imposed on the organiser of the Himpunan Hijau Raub.
The three were rally organising chairman Wong Kin Hoong, Tengku Shahadan Tengku Jaafar and M Raju.
Raub OCPD Supt Wan Mohd Samsudin Wan Osman confirmed that the three were called in to assist investigations under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
It is learnt that police are looking for two other individuals.
