KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed has slammed Lynas Corp for pre-empting the government by repeatedly projecting start dates for the Australian miner’s controversial RM1.5 billion rare earth plant in Kuantan.
The international trade and industry minister accused the Australian company of “jumping the gun” and failing to engage transparently with residents around its Kuantan refinery who have opposed the project due to fears of radiation pollution.
The minister said he understood the alarm of local residents over the project and has told Lynas repeatedly it “has not done enough engagement.”
“They’ve underestimated but learnt their lesson. They have been more transparent over the last one or two months.
“But I saw them last week in Perth, it’s still not enough,” the Jeli MP said, adding that the failure of both Lynas and the government to engage from the start has resulted in “some people who cannot be persuaded.”
Mustapa was accused of being a “Lynas spokesman” by Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh last week.
He denied the accusation from the PKR vice-president who has led protests against the Lynas plant, saying it was “akin to calling me a traitor.”
Lynas had earlier projected to be given the go-ahead from radiation regulators AELB by the fourth quarter of this year.
But Putrajaya said last week it asked for changes and additional information on September 19 from the Sydney-based firm with regard to its safety submissions.
Having shed more than half its value on the Australian Securities Exchange over the past six months, it was then reported to expect a pre-operating licence “by the end of the year and it could come before analysts make a planned visit to the plant this month.”
“‘Slight delays’ at its controversial Malaysian refinery will not affect its plans to supply rare earths to customers by the first half of next year,” Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald said on November 1.
The Malaysian government had adopted in July the 11 recommendations set out by an International Atomic Energy Agency-led (IAEA) review of the refinery.
It has said it will not allow Lynas to begin operations or import rare earth ore until the 11 conditions, which include a comprehensive, long-term and detailed plan for managing radioactive waste that covers decommissioning and remediation, are met.
Lynas has refuted claims of radiation pollution, assuring Kuantan residents they would face “zero exposure” unlike an earlier Japanese rare earth refinery near Ipoh which was conducting a clean-up nearly 20 years after it was shut down.
Mustapa also denied in the interview that the government was colluding with Lynas to ride roughshod over public safety.
“Tens of thousands of foreign companies are here in Malaysia. We have to engage and handhold if they have problems with visas, labour or infrastructure.
“We partner with the private sector. But these guys (those opposing the plant) have been painting the government as if we are not worried about human safety,” the minister said.
