title: Potential Health Impacts of Bauxite Mining in Kuantan.
abstract: Bauxite mining is not known to most Malaysian except recently due to environmental pollution issues in Kuantan, Pahang. Potential impacts are expected to go beyond physical environment and physical illness if the situation is not controlled. Loss of economic potentials, and the presence of unpleasant red dust causing mental distress, anger and community outrage. More studies are needed to associate it with chronic physical illness. While evidences are vital for action, merely waiting for a disease to occur is a sign of failure in prevention. All responsible agencies should focus on a wider aspect of health determinants rather than merely on the occurrence of diseases to act and the need to emphasize on sustainable mining to ensure health of people is not compromised.
authors.affiliation: Office of Director General of Health, Level 12, E7, Ministry of Health, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Noor Hisham
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Unit, Level 2, E3, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Norlen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Office of Deputy Director General of Health (Public Health), Level 12, E7, Ministry of Health, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Lokman Hakim
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Unit, Level 2, E3, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Thahirahtul Asma
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Unit, Level 2, E3, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Daud Abdul
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rahim
keywords: Malaysia; bauxite; disease; environmental pollution; health impact; mining