Antinuclear

Strong call against Australian company Lynas’ rare earths radioactive wastes in Malaysia

Lynas, ….. expects to bring in RM8 billion a year from 2013 that too tax-free, based on current prices.”……

Petition signed by 52000 residents protesting the building of the plant

 By Aliran, on 12 November 2011, M N D’Cruz raises the alarm over the Lynas rare earth refinery near Kuantan and says it is the duty of every Pahang resident to oppose the plant……

The biggest question is ‘Why do we want this plant in Gebeng or for that matter anywhere in Malaysia’? Are we so hard-up for FDI that we are prepared to accept a backyard industry, rejected in its own country? Western Australia has all the required facilities, viz. less populated region, accessibility to seawater and port, good transport system and infrastructure.

So why do they want to come to Gebeng to do this job?

According to Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, “the state government did not approve the project and it had no power to stop it…”

“When Lynas first proposed the project, International Trade and Industry Ministry had given the project to Terengganu . However, due to delays (or rejection by Terengganu?) the Ministry asked us to consider having the plant in Gebeng” (Press report, 20 April 2011).

Does it mean the state government has no power to refuse permission for the plant to be built in Gebeng? Land usage is a state matter and the state should have the last say in such matters. So it is surprising to note the Ministry of International Trade and Industry has forced the Lynas Gebeng Project, down the state’s throat.

“Atomic Board has limited jurisdiction” (press report).

Does it mean that in matters outside its jurisdiction, it can wash its hands and put the blame on other agencies like the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, the Department of Environment and even the State Development Corporation?

“A full operational licence will not be issued if Lynas does not meet the requirements that have been set” (press report, 23 April 2011).

So, if the requirements are not met with, will the RM700 million Lynas plant under construction now become a white elephant?

“Lynas, which hopes to begin operation in September 2011, expects to bring in RM8 billion a year from 2013 that too tax-free, based on current prices.”……

Why bring the raw-materials from Australia, when it could safely be processed there? Is it because the 41 safety and health regulations by the Australian government are more stringent than whatever conditions we may impose in Malaysia?….

The finished products will be taken back to Australia but the ‘tailings’ will be ‘safely’ left behind in Gebeng.

Why should we hold on to this toxic waste for many, many years, even if they are deposited underground?

Do we want a repeat of Bukit Merah, Perak, where the Japanese Company which ran the rare-earth plant is spending RM300m to do the clean-up and even after more than 25 years, they have not succeeded in cleaning up, leaving behind those with birth defects and eight leukemia cases – seven have since died (New York Times, 8 March 2011)

“Chinese farmers in China pay the price for rare-earth addictive” (press report).

According to this report, peasant farmers living near the dumping ground for rare-earth waste in Dalahai have –”lost their teeth”, “lost their hair”, “eat contaminated food”, and “destroyed their crops”. Do we want any such disaster to strike us? Do we want our future generations to blame us for their sufferings?

As early as 21 May 2011, Lynas Ltd (Australia) issued a statement that all necessary safety measures had been undertaken.

Was it meant to pre-empt the findings of the then newly appointed international panel of experts?

Lynas review panel must be reformed (press report 23 May 2011)………

If rare-earth is so safe as claimed by Lynas, Australia, why bring it to Gebeng, where the people have no need for its final product or the tailings. Why not keep it in Australia and enjoy all the benefits it may bring? …..

Petition signed by 52000 residents protesting the building of the plant

It has been reported that a petition containing 52,000 signatures of the people expressing their concern and protesting against the Lynas Gebeng Plant, which the Kuantan Member of Parliament YB Fuziah Salleh tried to submit to the panel, was rejected on the grounds that it was ‘immaterial’.

Local Agenda 21 clearly states that for any sustainable development to take place, people must be consulted and must participate in decision making that is related to the development. Yet the Panel blatantly refused even to accept it for its consideration /deliberation –(press report, 31 May 2011). No one knows why……

Why should Lynas want the plant in Gebeng? 

An article by Azmi Sharom (press report, 2 June 2011) highlighted various reasons as to why Lynas Australia wants the biggest rare-earth plant in the world (outside China) to be built in Gebeng and not in their own country. As the whole issue concerns the safety and health of thousands of people living in the vicinity of the plant, there should be full and open disclosure of all the facts regarding the safety and health of the people. Unfortunately, so far this has not been done.

Finally, I strongly feel it is the duty of every concerned citizen of Pahang, especially those living in Kuantan, irrespective of race, religion or political affiliation to join hands as a united force and struggle to stop Lynas from operating this rare-earth processing plant in Gebeng. We owe this to future generations of our children and grandchildren, whose health and safety are at risk.

It is also my fervent hope and prayer that politicians and political parties will not highjack the Lynas issue for their own political agenda. Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas!   http://aliran.com/7039.html

November 14, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | rare earths, uranium, wastes, Western Australia