The Government is topsy-turvy on Lynas

The Malaysian Government let Lynas from Australia build a rare earth plant in Gebeng,Kuantan. Last year, people protest against the plant. Then, it set up a Parliamentary Select Committee to study the safety of the plant.

Today, the PSC presents its report, quoting so-called scientific evidence to conclude that the plant is safe. All it needs is a monitoring committee. The report does not explain in details how the residues such as thorium and tenorm are being handled. Usually, an impact assessment is done before a plant is approved. But, the Government only has the PSC report after the plant has been built. The die has been cast. It is topsy-turvy. It does not give details on how the residues from the rare earth processing such as the slowly radioactive thorium and tenorm are handled. Whether it calls the installation a chemical or nuclear one does not dispel the doubt and the fear about it.