PUTRAJAYA: The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES), through the National Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG), has successfully reduced the approval time for the Mineral Licence (Without Storage Premises) from 61 days to just seven days under its Bureaucratic Red Tape Reform (RKB) project.

According to NRES, the reform is expected to lower compliance costs for mineral trading companies by up to 20 per cent, boosting both domestic and international trade and generating an estimated RM1.3mil in annual revenue for the government.

"This initiative reflects NRES’ ongoing commitment to streamlining industry operations and enhancing the efficiency of public service delivery,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday (May 16).

In recognition of this achievement, JMG received a Certificate of Appreciation presented by Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, to NRES secretary-general, Datuk Dr Ching Thoo a/l Kim, on April 10.

The RKB project is part of the Special Task Force on Agency Reform (STAR), chaired by the Chief Secretary, and aims to expedite regulatory processes while reducing compliance costs for businesses and the public.

This move also supports the Public Service Reform Agenda 2024-2030 and the Malaysia Madani vision, which seeks to improve government efficiency, drive productivity, and enhance public well-being.

Additionally, the reform helps accelerate administrative processes, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and promote sustainable mineral exports. - Bernama