Environment Dept cites national security in restricting EIA report downloads

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 — Full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports are not made publicly available for download to safeguard ownership and copyright protection, information security, and national security interests, the Department of Environment (DOE) said in a statement.

It said EIA reports usually contain detailed technical information, including data on strategic locations, critical infrastructure, development plans, site coordinates and other sensitive material that require controlled access.

This measure is in line with provisions under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, related regulations and operational procedures set by the DOE.

However, it said EIA reports remain fully accessible either online or physically at designated locations during the stipulated review period to allow public scrutiny and feedback during the assessment process.

The DOE added that access to the Executive Summary of EIA reports for public reference is available through designated platforms based on submitted applications.

“This approach is aimed at balancing public access to information with the protection of technical documents, while ensuring compliance with legal requirements and national security interests,” the statement said.

Earlier, a local news portal reported concerns raised by non-governmental organisations over the level of transparency and public access to EIA reports managed by the DOE.

The report claimed that the department’s EIA database was at times inaccessible and that important details, including information on the schedule classification of specific EIA reports, were no longer available. — Bernama