Groups demand that Fuziah apologise to Lynas

The MP for Kuantan, Fuziah Salleh, has to apologise not only to the residents of Kuantan but to all the citizens in the country on the rare earth project issue by Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) in the Gebeng industrial area in Pahang.

Several politicians and analysts found that the rare earth project was not an issue after the Kuantan High Court on Nov 8 rejected the interim injunction application on the temporary operating licence (TOL) by three Kuantan residents.

Despite the government having clarified several times that the rare earth processing plant in Gebeng was safe from threats of radiation earlier, it continued to be manipulated by interested political parties.

Kuantan MCA chairperson Ti Lian Ker said Fuziah of PKR actually did not do anything for Kuantan residents.

"On the other hand, her successes were only to create confusion among local residents on the Lynas issue through incorrect facts and manipulation of the issue for her political interest," he told Bernama.

Ti said the setting up of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the Lamp project was proposed in the Dewan Rakyat on March 20 this year under Standing Orders 81(1).

The terms of reference of the committee were to review the issues of safety, health and environment on the Lamp project; and to review the process and implementation of licensing procedures and approval based on legal provisions and safety standards in force.

The irony, Ti (left) said, was that Fuziah did not use the dewan to debate the issue but she only created noise outside Parliament.

The last report and recommendation of the Lynas PSC was tabled in Parliament on June 18.

"She was given the opportunity to debate and discuss in parliament but she chose not to be involved, in fact she rather went to London purportedly for a study visit when the issue was being debated in parliament.

"She was seen as betraying the residents of Kuantan by not carrying out her duty. Which is more important, the study visit to London or the debate on the Lynas?" he said.

Ti said the opposition received a rebuff when Hulu Langat MP Che Rosli Che Mat of PAS who is an expert in nuclear said he had been very patient with the opposition coalition in its deceit of the Lynas factory affair.

Che Rosli stressed that the level of radiation in the Lamp project was at a low permissible level.

Following that, Fuziah continued to make negative statements on Lamp, prompting several political and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to lodge police reports on the deceit and distortion of facts.

Several NGOs in Pahang demanded that Fuziah apologised to Lamp for her mistakes in deceiving without basic scientific facts on the rare earth processing plant.

Deceiving public

They wanted Fuziah and the anti-Lynas groups to follow the news portal Free Malaysia Today in making a public apology on the issue in July.

Kuantan Malay right-wing group Perkasa information chief Ezad Zainal said Fuziah had to apologise to Lynas and all the people in Kuantan for deceiving them.

"The Kuantan MP ignored studies and findings of qualified experts who confirmed the safety of the rare earth processing plant in Gebeng.

"There is no strong basis or facts put up by Fuziah against Lynas other than looking for political support and not in the interest of the people," he said.

The Pahang National Agenda Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations (Daun) also demanded that Fuziah and other anti-Lynas groups apologise publicly on the issue.

Daun coordinator Wan Emril Nizam Wan Embong said they wanted Fuziah and the anti-Lynas groups to apologise to all Malaysians and Kuantan residents as their allegations were not supported by scientific facts.

Kuantan Youth Council chairperson Md Jamil Pauzi said apart from Lamp, Fuziah and the anti-Lynas groups should apologise to the Pahang state government as well as the Malaysians.

Pahang Malaysian Youth Clubs Association (MAYC) honourary secretary Asmayudin Uyub said Fuziah should admit her mistakes in deceiving the people without scientific facts on Lynas.

"She is an elected representative chosen by the people and as a leader, she should admit her mistakes and seek forgiveness from the people immediately," he said.

Meanwhile, Kuantan Umno Youth chief Suffian Awang said voters in the Kuantan constituency should be wise in evaluating Fuziah's capability as an elected representative. 

"It is near the end of the term and what has Fuziah done? The problems of the local residents have been resolved by the state and federal government, while Fuziah was busy campaigning on the Lynas issue," he told Bernama.

Meanwhile Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) chief public relations officer, Haslinda Hassan said from January to November, there were 4,123 complaints received on problems faced by Kuantan residents such as damaged public properties, roads and drains and others.

"From the total, 80 per cent of the complaints were settled while the remaining 20 per cent were still in the process of investigation and action by MPK," she said.

- Bernama