S'pore rebuts report its demand of sand from Cambodian
threatens ecosystems
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 11 May 2010 0935 hrs
SINGAPORE : The Singapore government has rebutted a report
by Global Witness' claiming that Singapore's demand for Cambodian
sand has threatened the ecosystems and undermines good
governance.
The report from the international environmental NGO suggests the
Singapore government seeks to import sand without due regard to the
laws or environmental impact of Cambodia.
A statement from the National Development Ministry (MND) indicated
this is not true. The Ministry says it is committed to the
protection of the global environment.
And it does not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand, or
any extraction of sand that is in breach of the source countries'
laws and rules on environmental protection.
The government also did not receive any official notice on the ban
of sand exports from Cambodia.
The import of reclamation sand to Singapore is done on a commercial
basis by Jurong Town Corporation (JTC), a statutory board under the
Trade and Industry Ministry.
JTC requires all its sand suppliers to comply with local legal
procedures to extract or transport sand from the sources without
causing adverse impact to the environment.
It has also put in place specific measures to ensure accountability
from the sand suppliers.
Singapore Customs also has in place procedures to check and
investigate the import of all goods, including sand, at the various
checkpoints.
MND says the policing and enforcement of sand extraction licences
is ultimately the responsibility of the source country.
However, Singapore will continue to play its part to ensure that
sand is extracted in a legal and environmentally responsible
manner.
- CNA/il