After viewing the radioactive waste management plan (RWMP) for the Lynas rare earth plant in Pahang, an NGO says its is “shocked” the government is fast-tracking the approvals despite many areas warranting closer scrutiny.

NONE“We have attended and viewed the RWMP. We found many crucial areas of the document that warrant greater scrutiny by independent experts in the public and national interests,” Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) and Stop Lynas Coalition (SLC) said in an open letter today.

They said the complexity of the issues concerning the plant, which “poses a potential radioactive hazard”, required a longer viewing period of the documents from the present 14 days to four weeks.

The documents, they said, should also be made available to the public “to ensure transparency and accountability”.

NONEAt present, the 300-plus page document can only be viewed, by one person at a time (right), at specified locations and during working hours.

This, said the detractors, would only allow roughly seven persons to scrutinise the document each day - and this was a deliberate act to limit any detailed study of the document by the people.

The open letter was addressed to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister (Mosti) Minister Maximus Johnity Ongkili, International Trade and Industry (Miti) Minister Mustapa Mohamad, Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) director-general Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan and Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) president Zulkifli Yaacob.

‘Discuss first’

The NGOs also want an open discussion held on Lynas’ temporary operating licence application before it is approved.

NONE“We would like an opportunity to be able to present and discuss specific technical concerns arising from our review and analysis of the application before AELB makes its recommendation to Putrajaya to approve the pre-operating licence,” the NGO representatives said.

In a joint statement later today, the NGOs slammed the government for being dictated to by external parties in rushing the approval process through.

“We are totally shocked by the utter impotency and defensive nature of the government of Malaysia in accepting Lynas’ Radioactive Waste Management Plan under such poor conditions and with such restricted public review process,” said SMSL chairperson Tan Bun Teet (above).

The NGOs said if the government issued the pre-operating licence for the Lynas under its current proposal as set out in the licence application, Malaysia would not be complying with the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

NONE“Malaysia will be embarrassed internationally for pushing ahead with such a shonky project that goes against our national interests and the advice of the IAEA,” said Tan.

“How can a foreign corporation so blatantly undermine Malaysia’s sovereignty by dictating to our government to restrict public access to the RWMP?”

“In Australia, Lynas would be required by law to make its licensing application available for public scrutiny and working to a timeline set by the government,” added SLC chairperson Andansura Rabu.

However, Lynas was dictating the limited terms of review of the documents in Malaysia, Andansura said.

SMSL & SLC's joint open letter to Mosti, AEL and Miti