Committee promises fair review of Lynas rare
earth plant
KUANTAN: A fair review of the Lynas rare
earth refinery is one that looks out for the best interest of Kuantan
residents, says Lynas evaluation committee chairman Fuziah Salleh.
Lynas had nothing to worry about if it had complied with regulatory
requirements, she said, adding that those requirements were consistent with the
best practices of radioactive waste management that Pakatan Harapan believed
in.
“They should only worry if there is bending of rules by the previous
government to accommodate them (Lynas) for whatever reasons, or if there exists
non-compliance to requirements stipulated in the safety standards set out by
the government and those requirements are modified later,” she said when
contacted yesterday.
Fuziah, who is Kuantan MP and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department, was made the chairman of a Lynas evaluation committee last week.
“I am representing the Pakatan government, specifically the Energy,
Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, and we have every
right to look into Lynas’ records from day one.
“I am here not just as an anti-Lynas campaigner, otherwise the minister
would not have appointed me as the chairman. The minister needed someone with comprehensive
knowledge of the matter.
“If this was an independent panel, my appointment would be an issue, but
this is an executive committee. We are now in a position to examine Lynas,” she
said.
Asked if Lynas could expect a fair review due to her stance, Fuziah said
the benchmark should be finding the best outcome for the people of Kuantan.
“What is fair is what is the best policy for the people of Kuantan. They do
not deserve a plant with radioactive waste in their backyard,” she said.
On the scope of the review, she said the committee would be looking at the
previous government’s policies regarding Lynas.
“We are going to open the files and find out what happened to those plans
of managing the rare earth waste processing. The previous government said it
would be sent back, then the plan changed to a permanent disposal facility and
now Lynas wants to recycle its waste.
“We want to know what happened in between all those plans,” said Fuziah.
The committee is made up of 10 members who are experts in public health,
chemical process engineering and international law, among others. It will hold
its first meeting today.today.
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