PETALING JAYA: Lime and lime extraction industry players are calling on the government to issue clearer instructions and standard operating procedure for the sector as any delay could affect many essential services including the nation’s drinking water supply.

       The Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CCIM) said limestone quarries should be allowed to fully operate so that the lime industry could continue to produce calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide, which are used in the production of Malaysia’s clean drinking water and wastewater treatment services.

       “Presently, supply of raw materials for the lime industry is only allowed from existing and already fast depleting stockpiles from quarries and the lime industry is already contemplating shutting down plant operations since raw materials may not be available soon,” CCIM said in a statement yesterday.

       It added that untreated water could cause an outbreak of other diseases such as cholera.

       CCIM said lime producers would take three to four weeks to restart after any shutdown and the process could likely produce large amounts of waste products.

       The process could also cause them to incur extra costs and cause many of those working in the lime industry to lose their jobs.

       The closure of lime production quarries could also have a snowball effect on the essential industries they serve as they, too, might have to close for many weeks due to the lack of supply of lime.

       CCIM said while the SOP for phases One and Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) published by the National Security Council indicated that quarry activities could resume, the condition was further subjected to the SOP set by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry for the mining and quarrying sectors.

       “The revised SOP for the mining and quarrying sectors was only released on July 9 but is specific for Phase Two of the NRP only.

       “In view of this, limestone quarries for states still under Phase One of the NRP have yet to restart their operations,” CCIM said.

       It stressed that the entire lime production industry should be allowed to operate and called for clear and practical SOP to be issued.

       Meanwhile, Balai Ikhtisas Malaysia (BIM) president Abu Zarim Abu Bakar, in a statement yesterday, urged the International Trade and Industry Ministry to consider all professions under its wings as essential services and allow them to practise in Phase One of the NRP.

       “BIM has member institutions that represent surveyors, architects, landscape architects, engineers, planners, interior designers, builders; medical doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians, dentists; agriculturists, planters, foresters; chemists, scientists for soils, rubber, plastics and materials; internal auditors, social workers and logistics and transport managers,” said Abu Zarim.

       BIM is the umbrella organisation of 21 professional bodies.