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Kota Kinabalu: Residents of four villages here are up in arms against the reoperation of a quarry in their area that they claimed is affecting their daily lives and environment. 

They voiced concerns on various issues, including increased dust and noise pollution, as well as the disruption of local water sources.   

The quarry, which had been inactive for five years, has resumed operations, prompting complaints from the villagers of Kg Timbok, Kg Tampulan, Kg Borunon and Kg Binaong.   

They said the quarry’s previous operations had impacted their environment, affecting water gravity, road conditions and rivers.  

Villager Rozennawati from Kg Timbok claimed the resumption of quarry activities was exacerbating those issues.

“The activities disrupt local water sources, leading to reduced water levels and contamination concerns. 

“We villagers from the four villages are depending on gravity water. The river is also affected,” she said, adding there are about 500 people living in the four villages.

Another villager, David, also from Kg Timbok, said the increased truck traffic associated with quarry operations worsened the condition of roads, posed safety risks and increased maintenance costs for the villagers.

“The operator should be more responsible and consider the impact of their activities on the local community.

“The operator should also discuss with the villagers and assure that they will be responsible for any impact,” he said.

The villagers want concrete assurances and measures to mitigate any impacts and ensure the wellbeing of their community.

They also called for a review of a recently approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the quarry which has been inactive since its licence expired in 2019.

Previous attempts to restart operations were blocked as the EIA was rejected twice, in March 2022 and January 2023.

However, the latest EIA application, submitted by the same project owner and consultant, was unexpectedly approved in July this year, 11 months after the terms of reference were accepted, sparking shock and concern among the villagers.

They claim they were not consulted about the potential revival of the quarry, which is among the crucial steps they believe were overlooked in the EIA process.

“Neglecting to engage nearby residents compromises the fairness and transparency of the EIA process.

“Such inconsistencies undermine its credibility and raise serious questions about the decision to allow these operations to resume,” said Tom Chin, who operates Kebun Atuk Farmstay, some 450m from the quarry.

Since the quarry’s inactivity, the area has transitioned from mining to agriculture and residential development, with locals investing in homes, farms and community facilities.