IPOH, Feb 23 — A group calling itself the Perak Anti-Lynas Association wants the federal government to close down the Lynas rare earths refinery in Gebeng, Pahang now instead of giving the Australian miner time to set up a proper permanent disposal facility (PDF) for its radioactive waste produced in the country.
Its vice-chairman Hon Eng Kee said the government should consider the wellbeing and safety of residents and firmly reject the production of radioactive rare earths materials in Malaysia so as not to repeat the Bukit Merah tragedy in Perak.
“Why did the government renew the operating licence for another three years?” he raised at a news conference at Kampung Baru Bukit Merah here today.
Residents in Perak in the 1980s suffered the effects of a radioactive pollution — that included cancer and birth defects — said to be from the mining of rare earths in Bukit Merah that was operated by Japanese giant Mitsubishi Chemicals until it closed down in 1994.
Hon said Lynas had delayed building the PDF for 10 years, noting recent news reports that put the construction of the radioactive waste disposal storage at only 32 per cent completion currently.
“This will only increase the accumulation of toxic waste,” he claimed.
Hon also said that the government would not need to deal with the problem of emptying or moving the company’s cracking and leaching part of its rare earths processing plant in Pahang if the Lynas refinery closed earlier.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang announced a three-year renewal of Lynas’ operating licence in Pahang on February 15.
The licence will only expire in March 2026, he said.
However, he added that the company has to meet several conditions by July this year or have its licence revoked.
