Fuziah's 'Lynas disposal in Ampang' not helpful, says Zuraida's aide

PKR's Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh's (photo, above) sarcastic rebuttal for Lynas' permanent deposit facility (PDF) to be constructed in Ampang, the constituency of Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, is not helpful, said the latter's political secretary Hizwan Ahmad.

Hizwan said Zuraida, as a minister, is bound by the majority decision in the cabinet, which had extended Lynas' operation licence for its rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, Kuantan for six months.

However, he said Zuraida had sought to help by offering to cooperate with the Pahang government in her capacity as housing and local government minister to ensure the PDF, which will store Lynas' radioactive waste, complies with all regulations.

"This is better than the status quo which does not appear to be under control and causing public anxiety.

"Unfortunately, the Kuantan MP's social media post sarcastically suggesting that it (PDF) should be built in Ampang appears to belittle this effort.

"It is a statement that does not help to solve the problem and belittles the government's efforts to find a resolution," he said in a statement last night.

Hizwan said Fuziah should evaluate her statement as it could send the wrong message.

He added that Fuziah should communicate better instead of quarrelling in public.

Fuizah's Facebook post was only to her friends and was not set to public.

The government on Aug 15 announced the extension to Lynas' licence but set a condition for it to come up with a construction and financing plant for a permanent deposit facility (PDF) to store its radioactive waste.

"The construction of the PDF must be expedited to minimise the risk from the water leach purification (WLP) stockpile that is now at more than 580,000 tonnes at the temporary residue storage facility which is exposed to major floods," said the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB).

AELB also required Lynas to shift its "cracking and leaching" phase of operations, which produces the radioactive waste, to overseas within four years.

It also asked Lynas to terminate its efforts to commercialise those waste by diluting them and turning them into fertiliser and instructed for funds for this research to be channelled to the government as collateral.

The more stringent condition has not soothed anger as Harapan leaders had in the past promised to shut down the Lynas plant. - Mkini