Is the govt pushing the Atomic Energy Licensing Board to approve Lynas?

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan told reporters that “You can just tabur (scatter) everywhere,” when referring to the radioactive waste from the Lynas Corporation plant being built in Gebeng, Kuantan.

Three decades ago, the Japanese plant operators of Bukit Merah told the workers the same thing. They said that the waste could be used as fertilizer and people took them home. The next thing, they were falling ill and miscarriages and birth defects were being recorded.

Would Raja Abdul Aziz lead by example and do as he suggests which is to “tabur” the waste by scattering it in his garden first? If his wife objects, then we would too.

Is Raja Abdul Aziz under intense pressure behind the scenes, to approve the final hurdle of Lynas which has yet to receive the permit to operate?

This government is in deep trouble. The residents of Gebeng led by Opposition politician Fuziah Salleh are angry with Lynas Corp and their plans for a plant which has serious consequences for their future.

Fuziah’s determination has derailed all of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s plans.

The opening of Lynas would probably have coincided with a big fanfare to accompany the announcement of the General Election. Najib brings ‘big business’. Now Fuziah brings ‘big headache’.

Unfortunately, when you are a BN/Umno politician, making money for yourself is what life is all about. Politics is not about improving people’s lives anymore.

Thus, sitting in their palatial surroundings of Putrajaya, these politicians were mesmerized by the sweet talk of Lynas Corporation of Australia which told the greedy money grabbing MPs with little intellect let alone scientific knowledge, that there was ‘gold’ hidden in the radioactive ores.

Yes. There is the equivalent of gold in the radioactive ores but the price tag that accompanies it is also a hefty one – your life and that of several generations of your own family.

Now that both Federal and state governments were tripping over themselves trying to please Lynas, they gave Lynas the go-ahead to build, even though the third condition for starting operations had not been secured.

Senior politicians must have given firm assurances that there would be no problem getting this third permit. Otherwise why would Lynas invest millions building a complex that would never be allowed to operate.

All the talk about the Atomic Energy Licensing Board having to “ensure the safety of the people is prioritised to ensure that the Lynas plant is in line with international standards” is all hogwash.

They cannot pull the wool over our eyes. We are not fools to think that a multinational would build a multimillion complex just for some lowly technician at the last stage, to say, “Sorry, you can’t operate because you don’t satisfy the last criterion.”

Pahang MCA chief Liow Tiong Lai had met Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili and voiced the concerns of the people’s safety over the Lynas plant where he submitted a memorandum on the issue.

Liow told reporters that the company will need three licences — one for the land, one for the building and one for the operating licence — and Lynas had already received the first two licences.

“We feel that the people in Kuantan have the right to know the level of safety of the plant and the authorities including the AELB to give full explanations. This is the first point that we stressed. Secondly, AELB to ensure all applications and the licensing to be more transparent so the NGOs and the public can get more information and latest regarding the plant.

“And thirdly, we also hoped that AELB and the relevant parties will have more briefings and explanations and also listen to the opinions of people from all sides including the people living in that area,” he said.

Liow should have done his homework and been a bit more switched on before the plant was built, whilst it was still at the discussion stage. Now that Fuziah has led a successful challenge, Liow is simply reacting to the public backlash.

Only now he demands that there was more discussion and explanation.

But it is nothing new. BN does things in reverse. Build first, ask questions later.

Or build first and when people drop dead like flies or buildings come crashing down, then only ask for standards to be reviewed.

It is alarming for us to sit and watch how the authorities handle this radioactive problem. It is frightening that our so-called experts suddenly act like the world’s best brains and leaders in radioactivity.

The USA and Japan are aware of the dangers. Australia does too, that is why Lynas is not siting its plant in Australia.

Why should Raja Abdul Aziz accept what Lynas tells him at face value? Did it ever cross his mind why the Australians are rejecting their own plant?

Is Raja Abdul Aziz prepared to sacrifice the lives, the livelihood, the environment and the various industries that the area currently supports, like fishing, agricultural and tourism?

The nuclear industry and nuclear agencies have a long history of accidents, cover-ups and poor follow-up on safety standards. It is a pattern found around the world, even in Japan, the USA and the UK.

Why should we Malaysians contaminate our people and our country?

Raja Abdul Aziz is either very arrogant or is having his arm twisted to approve the permit for Lynas to operate.

If it is the latter, it is probably because in the small print. Lynas has included a paragraph which says the Malaysian government will pay compensation in the multibillions if for some reason, the plant is not allowed to proceed any further. - Malaysia Chronicle