IPOH, Dec 2 — The Perak State Legislative Assembly today unanimously approved the RM1.61 billion state Budget 2026, tabled by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad last Tuesday.
The Supply Bill 2026 was passed after all 59 assemblymen present during the sitting voted in favour of it.
The Bill was debated by 44 out of 59 assemblymen, including 18 government assemblymen, over three days.
In his winding-up speech, Saarani said there is no evidence directly linking the recent river water discolouration in Sungai Perak in Gerik to mining activities.
“The exact cause of the blue water phenomenon in Perak has yet to be determined.
“Records show that a similar occurrence was reported in 2018 in almost the same area, even before the rare earth element (REE) mining industry began operations in the state,” he said.
Saarani said the phenomenon appears to coincide with periods of unusually heavy rainfall.
“The Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) confirmed that the Hulu Perak area is naturally rich in minerals such as tin ore, copper, manganese, arsenic, and pyrite.
“Rainfall can wash these minerals into rivers, and with current heavy rains, even more mineral-rich soil enters the waterways.
Regarding earlier reports of a 13-becquerel reading, Saarani said authorities noted that this measurement likely came from an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) instrument.
“ICPMS measures mineral concentrations in units like percentages, parts per million (ppm), or parts per billion (ppb), but does not assess radioactivity.
“Accurate determination of radioactive content requires instruments such as Neutron Activation Analysis, Alpha Spectrometry, or Gamma Spectrometry,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability emphasised that only the Atomic Energy Department (Atom Malaysia) is authorised to verify any activity involving atomic energy or radioactive materials, in accordance with Sections 3 and 8 of the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304).
“Following a recent meeting, several key decisions were made. A ministerial-level task force involving all technical departments has been formed to investigate and gather technical and field data regarding the issue.
“Further investigations are ongoing, and strict action will be taken if any breach of standard operating procedures or laws under the Perak Mineral Enactment 2003, Mineral Development Act 1994, or Environmental Quality Act 1974 is confirmed,” he said.
Saarani said the Atomic Energy Department will also conduct a comprehensive analysis to determine the actual level of radioactivity at the REE mining project site.
“Meanwhile, authorities have advised all parties against making public statements that could create confusion or hinder the investigation.
“The state government will fully leave the matter to the authorities and pledging to respect any findings or decisions that emerge from the ongoing investigation,” he said.
On October 21, photos of Sungai Perak near the Kampung Sungai Papan Bridge, about five kilometres north of Kampung Air Ganda in Gerik, appeared blue, went viral on social media.
On November 5, Saarani said the government has ordered the three mining operations near to temporarily halt activities pending the investigations.
Meanwhile, on the total royalties collected from the export of rare earth carbonate (REC), Saarani said the state had collected RM71,583,781.07, equivalent to 20,336.80 metric tonnes of REC from February 2023 to July 2025.
He said the state government imposed a royalty rate of 12 per cent on the sales value of REC.
“This rate is higher compared to other exported minerals, reflecting the high global market value of REE materials.
“Royalties are calculated based on the weight of REC exported, measured in metric tonnes,” he said.
